MANILA, Philippines — Following a landmark year of profitability, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) is entering the sustainable debt market with its first-ever ASEAN Sustainability peso-denominated fixed-rate bonds, aiming to raise at least ₱5 billion.
- Issue Size: At least ₱5 billion (with an option for oversubscription).
- Tenor: 1.5 years.
- Purpose: Proceeds will be used to diversify the bank’s funding sources and finance (or refinance) eligible green and social projects under its Sustainable Finance Framework.
- Ratings: Metrobank holds stable investment-grade ratings—Baa2 from Moody’s and BBB- from Fitch.
- Lead Managers: The bank has mandated First Metro Investment Corp. (FMIC), ING Bank N.V. Manila Branch, and Standard Chartered Bank as joint lead managers and bookrunners.
The planned issuance follows Metrobank’s announcement of an all-time high net income of ₱49.7 billion in 2025, representing a 17% increase from the previous year.
- Growth Drivers: The bank saw a 9.2% rise in net interest income and a significant 47.2% surge in trading and foreign exchange income.
- Strategic Position: President Fabian Dee noted that the bank is focused on “disciplined growth” and strengthening its balance sheet to support the broader Philippine economy.
Metrobank joins other major Philippine lenders in the “green” race. In early 2026, BDO Unibank successfully raised ₱100 billion from its fifth sustainability bond (which was 20 times oversubscribed), while RCBC and BPI have also launched similar ₱5-billion offerings to fund social and environmental projects.
