Entrusted in Good Hands
In the occasion of the recent awarding of the 2010 Country’s Outstanding Policemen in Service awarding ceremonies in Malacañang, Mr. Sobrepeña turned over a special collectors’ edition Metrobank coffee table book entitled “In Good Hands”.
 
(from L-R) Mrs. Elvira Ong-Chan Metrobank FoundationSenior Executive Vice President, President Benigno Simeon Aquino III and Metrobank Foundation president Mr. Aniceto Sobrepeña.
“In Good Hands” chronicles the 48-year history of Metrobank, including the leaders who brought the bank to where it is now. The rich story within is reflected in the book’s cover featuring the GT Tower, which has become an iconic architecture on the streets of Makati. A chapter on the Metrobank Foundation appears on pages 158-185 by Felice Sta. Maria. The Metrobank Foundation is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group of companies that serves as its heart and soul. The chapter discusses the philanthropic vision of the group chairman George S.K. Ty and how Metrobank lives up to its commitment to corporate citizenship.
The chapter on MBFI started with a chronicle on how the Foundation came to be. “Leadership in business implies leadership in community service as well.” Dr. Ty lived by his words and established the Metrobank Foundation as his philanthropic channel. Various partnerships and programs of the foundation are highlighted in the chapter, namely: MADE (Metrobank Art and Design Excellence), SOT (Search for Outstanding Teachers), COPS (Country’s Outstanding Philippine Soldiers), TOPS (Ten Outstanding Philippine Soldiers) and Healthcare: MDH (Manila Doctors Hospital). It does not just narrate the history of the Foundation; rather, it tells a message of hope – an intervention. A holistic intervention of excellence for the Filipino nation, that beyond recognition, the Foundation honors excellence in public service (Sta. Maria, 2010), thereby encouraging Filipinos to bring out the best in them. Various partnerships were established in order to ensure the credibility of every search. Pages 168-169 is spread containing the message “Excel. Engage. Empower” which is the theme of the Foundation’s 30th Anniversary last 2009. To summarize, the Foundation encourages EXCELLENCE in Filipinos by ENGAGING its various stakeholders thereby EMPOWERING not only its awardees but most specially, the Filipino nation. Pages of that chapter encapsulate the impact that the Foundation has made over the years and the leaders behind it. On pages 164 and 175, the late President Corazon Aquino appears as the former chairperson of the board of advisers from 1993 till the time of her death.
“Over the years, the Foundation’s involvement in CSR has not only made a direct, enduring impact on the lives of so many partners and beneficiaries, individuals, and communities alike.” (Sta. Maria, 2010)
The Metrobank Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, was established by its chairman Dr. George S.K. Ty in 1979. With the theme “Excel. Engage. Empower.” the Foundation has promoted a culture of excellence among Filipinos through its various programs, such as the Search for Outstanding Teachers, the Metrobank Art and Design Excellence, The Outstanding Philippine Soldier, Country's Outstanding Policemen in Service, the Metrobank Math Challenge, and College Scholarship Program and the Metrobank Foundation Professorial Chair Lectures in partnership with the Supreme Court and the Philippine Judicial Academy. The Foundation also engages its partners and awardees in different activities geared towards giving back to the society. Through these initiatives, the Metrobank Foundation empowers its awardees and partners to become better citizens of the community.
|
go to 
