By Lee C. Chipongian
The Metrobank Foundation, Inc. is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group and since 1979 it has been recognizing excellence in the field of education, military, police service and the arts.
For 40 years, the foundation has formed partnerships with various organizations here and around the region to not only encourage excellence but more importantly, to provide assistance to all sectors of society such as relief and rehabilitation efforts in times of natural disasters.
This was the vision of the founder of the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co., Dr. George S.K. Ty. Decades later, through the foundation’s “Puso at Sigasig” it has sustained and expanded its advocacies.
“There is so much more work to be done,” said Metrobank Foundation President Aniceto Sobrepeña. In one of the press statements from the foundation, he said that for 40 years there have been countless “meaningful collaborations” and that they “look forward to stronger collaboration and broader spaces for multi-sectoral involvement” for years to come.
The foundation is known for its Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos award for teachers, soldiers, and police officers whose “works have lasting positive impact on people and to the country.”
In the arts and culture, it has encouraged the growth of Filipino artistry and creativity through the annual competitions in painting and sculpture and through its exhibitions, lectures, and workshops. In the field of education, Metrobank Foundation has the Metrobank-MTAP-DepEd Math Challenge, the Metrobank Scholarship Program, and the National Teachers’ Month.
Metrobank Foundation is also big in health advocacies with Manila Doctors Hospital as its healthcare arm. It also assists in socio-civic and non-government organizations by giving grants, and disaster response to aid survivors of natural calamities in the Philippines.
Based on its latest annual report, in 2018 the foundation has assisted almost 37,000 individuals under its ₱26.5-million grants, education and healthcare programs. It has 52 social development partners.
Metrobank Chairman, Arthur V. Ty, said that there is more to come and the next years could expect more grants and assistance to the underprivileged and marginalized sectors. “There are more things we can achieve for our nation,” was his message to the foundation as its chairman.
Ty also said that he is “optimistic” about prospects of nation-building.