The Metrobank brand: A trusted banking partner

In an industry that is founded primarily on trust, the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) knows too well the importance of constantly earning the confidence of its stakeholders. 

Since its establishment in 1962, Metrobank has grown to become the country’s premier financial institution, reputed for promoting excellence and good corporate citizenship.

For more than four decades, Metrobank continually implements pioneering efforts in providing the best service for its customers. Apart from its financial performance and quality service, Metrobank sets many firsts in the field of banking. It pioneered branch banking in the Philippines, with the establishment of the first 100 branches after only a decade in the business. This brought banking closer to the community, especially in the countryside. Today, Metrobank has a consolidated network of 727 domestic branches, even reaching overseas Filipinos through its 35 international branches and offices in 21 countries worldwide.

Recognizing the need to keep pace with the changing banking behavior of the customers, the bank utilizes modern and technologically advanced systems to deliver better service to them. The bank’s effort at strengthening its IT infrastructure to expedite delivery of services in the branches, resulted to the bank’s installation of a consolidated network of 1,157 ATMs, giving 24-hour access for the public to do their banking transactions. The desire to bring the bank closer to its clients was the driving force in shaping the bank to become one of the largest and most accessible banks in the country today.

As a testament to Metrobank’s reputation as a trusted brand, the bank recently ranked first in “Financial Reputation’’ in the Philippines by readers of the Wall Street Journal Asia which was based on the survey of over 2,000 executives in Asia and the Pacific.

In accepting the recognition, Metrobank president Arthur Ty was quoted as saying that: “This affirms that our strategies are on the right track, as we aim to be the best bank for all our stakeholders.”

“Metrobank has long been known for its quality and standard of excellence. Our track record in financial performance and reputation for stability bear this out,” Ty added.

Even during the recent decades when the country experienced many turmoil and several challenges, Metrobank was at the forefront in helping Filipinos overcome economic difficulties by extending lending facilities to businesses.

In fact, notwithstanding the volatile market conditions last year, the core banking operations remained healthy. Consolidated bank deposits as of end-2008 stood at P585.307 billion, or a 10.5 percent from a year ago level while net loan portfolio expanded by 17.5 percent to P358.163 billion from the 2007 level.

The bank’s strategy on lending has consistently been aggressive in pursuing growth in tandem with good credit quality. Metrobank continued to deliver services to the needs of its middle market clients in the areas of trade financing, term loans and revolving credit facilities. The bank also continued to make inroad in terms of gaining more business from distributors and retailers of its large corporate clients. True to its commitment of extending lending facilities to small businesses, the bank strengthened its presence in the countryside, particularly the trade side of the agriculture sector as it continued to tap many customers within the middle market.

For its achievements and pioneering efforts, Metrobank became synonymous to stability and trust. To this day, Metrobank continues to strengthen its brand equity to reflect “continuous growth built upon a stable foundation.”