Exhibit 99(1)


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
                                                 PLEASE CONTACT:
March 6, 2001
                                                 BYL BANCORP
                                                 ROBERT UCCIFERRI, PRESIDENT
                                                 AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OR
                                                 BARRY MOORE, EVP/CFO, OR
                                                 BYL BANK GROUP
                                                 GARY STRACHN, SENIOR VP/CFO,
                                                 (714) 685-1317

                                  PRESS RELEASE

        BYL BANCORP ANTICIPATES LOWER FIRST QUARTER 2001 EARNINGS DUE TO
              EXTRAORDINARY LOSS ON MORTGAGE LOANS PREVIOUSLY SOLD

Orange, CA - BYL Bancorp ("BYL") (Nasdaq National Market "BOYL"), the holding
company for BYL Bank Group (the "Bank"), announced today that first quarter 2001
earnings will be substantially reduced by the recognition of certain
extraordinary losses on mortgage loans previously sold and therefore that it is
likely that quarterly results of operations will be approximately breakeven.
This compares with the ($260,000) or ($0.10) per share basic and diluted loss
reported for the first quarter of 2000 and the $78,000 or $0.03 per share basic
and diluted reported for the fourth quarter of 2000. BYL expects to recognize in
the first quarter of 2001 a non-recurring, extraordinary loss with respect to
certain mortgage loans previously sold by both the Bank's former Diamond Bar
Division and current Tustin Mortgage Division operations to third party
investors. It is currently estimated that the pre tax losses on the loans which
will be recognized in the first quarter may be as much as $1,658,000 before any
future offsets or recoveries.

In all cases, the losses arise from the Bank's obligation to repurchase from the
third party investors certain fraudulent mortgage loans which were originated by
mortgage brokers who were not employees or affiliates of BYL or the Bank. The
fraudulent loans were originated through third-party brokers and were
subsequently sold as part of both of the Divisions' normal operations to certain
regular investors in such loans. In the case of the Tustin Mortgage Division,
these loans were originated by a professional, large-scale fraud ring operated
out of Texas that is believed to have impacted over twenty different mortgage
lenders other than BYL. The fraud scheme was quite complex and is believed to
have involved more than 30 persons including at least 13 businesses with various
names and owners, and included developers, real estate agents, appraisers,
brokers and others. In the case of the former Diamond Bar Division (which was
closed by the Bank as part of its restructuring in February 2000), the
fraudulent mortgage loans involve falsification of appraisals, verifications of
income and earnest money deposits, forged documents, false notarizations and
stolen identities of borrowers. No employee of BYL or the Bank is believed to
have been in any way involved in any of the fraudulent origination activities.

BYL believes that there is a substantial probability of obtaining significant
future recoveries to mitigate the extraordinary losses arising from these
fraudulent loans. Additionally, the losses recorded in the first quarter will be
further offset in future periods by adjustments to projected incentive payments
to personnel and reductions in projected loan loss provisions.

Robert Ucciferri, President and Chief Executive Officer of BYL stated "In our
over ten year history of mortgage origination activities, this is the first
instance of our being the victim of a wide-spread, sophisticated and complex
fraud. Fortunately, none of our employees is in any way involved in perpetrating
this fraudulent activity. We believe that there are substantial remedies in
these situations


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PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 6, 2001
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which will lead to substantial recoveries of these losses in future periods and
we intend to vigorously pursue all possible remedies."

As previously announced, BYL has entered into an agreement to be acquired by
PBOC Holdings, Inc. subject to having obtained all necessary regulatory
approvals and the approval of the shareholders of BYL at the special meeting of
shareholders scheduled for March 21, 2001.

BYL Bancorp is a California corporation headquartered in Orange, California
whose principal operating subsidiary is BYL Bank Group ("BYL"). BYL's primary
market area is Orange and Riverside Counties, California in which it operates
seven full-service banking centers and two division loan origination offices.
BYL's specialized Mortgage and SBA loan origination divisions operate under the
name of Bank of Yorba Linda, a division of BYL Bank Group. BYL specializes in
originating and selling residential real estate loans and commercial real estate
loans and SBA guaranteed loans. The shares of common stock of BYL Bancorp trade
on the NASDAQ National Market System under the symbol "BOYL".

This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks
and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from
those indicated. For a discussion of factors which could cause results to
differ, please see the Company's publicly available Securities and Exchange
Commission filings including its reports Forms on 10-K and 10-Q. Additional
information summarizing segment operations for BYL Bank Group is available upon
request. Contact Carole Biniasz, VP/Cashier at (714) 685-1395 or write to BYL
Bancorp, 1875 N. Tustin Street, Orange, California 92865.


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