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“FORGING AHEAD IN NATION BUILDING: THE BEST BANK FOR OUR STAKEHOLDERS”
BY MR. ANICETO M. SOBREPEÑA
49TH METROBANK ANNIVERSARY GRANTS TURNOVER
2 SEPTEMBER 2011, METROBANK AUDITORIUM, 11:00 A.M.
As Delivered, Sept 2, 2011
[SALUTATIONS]
WHEN GROUP CHAIRMAN DR. GEORGE S.K. TY FOUNDED METROBANK IN 1962, HE ENVISIONED IT TO BE A LEADER IN THE BANKING INDUSTRY SOME DAY. IT HAPPENED THIRTY YEARS LATER IN THE NINETIES WHEN THE BANK EMERGED AS ONE OF THE INDUSTRY LEADERS AND HAS SINCE THEN GROWN TO BE THE HIGHLY TRUSTED AND RESPECTED INSTITUTION THAT IT IS TODAY.
COMPLEMENTING THIS BUSINESS VISION, DR. TY KNEW FROM THE BEGINNING THAT BEING A GOOD BUSINESSMAN CARRIES WITH IT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BEING A GOOD CORPORATE CITIZEN. TODAY, IT IS FITTING THAT WE ARE HERE CELEBRATING THE BANK’S 49TH ANNIVERSARY, NOT THROUGH A LAVISH FESTIVITY, BUT BY EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE TO THE COMMUNITY WHOSE CONTINUED TRUST ALLOWED THE BANK TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL. TODAY’S GRANT GIVING - -A HALLOWED TRADITION IN METROBANK’S ANNIVERSARY EVENTS- - REMAINS A HUMBLE EXPRESSION OF METROBANK’S GRATEFULNESS TO THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY WHO CONTINUES TO BELIEVE IN US. WE GIVE BACK TO THE SOCIETY WHICH HAS ALLOWED METROBANK TO BE NAMED EARLY THIS YEAR AS EUROMONEY’S BEST BANK IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AS A RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE CITIZEN, WE SEE IT AS OUR DUTY TO CONTRIBUTE TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EVEN AS WE FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE LAND, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES TO FURTHER INVOLVE OURSELVES IN CREATING A MORE NURTURING SOCIETY.
SINCE 1979, THE METROBANK FOUNDATION, THE BANK’S CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ARM, HAS ENGAGED IN VARIOUS SOCIAL INITIATIVES TO UPLIFT THE LIVES OF THE DISADVANTAGED GROUPS AND ADDRESS CURRENT NATIONAL CONCERNS. WE ARE ABLE TO DO THIS THROUGH A WIDE NETWORK OF DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE YEARS AND WHOSE ADVOCACIES AND PROJECTS ARE ALIGNED WITH OURS. WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A NUMBER OF YOU, OUR COMRADE-IN-ARMS, PRESENT HERE TODAY IN THIS ASSEMBLY.
AS A PARTNER OF GOVERNMENT IN NATION BUILDING, WE HAVE DECIDED TO REFOCUS METROBANK FOUNDATION GRANT INITIATIVES TOWARDS ADDRESSING OUR COUNTRY’S MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS, PARTICULARLY THAT OF ERADICATING EXTREME POVERTY AND HUNGER; ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION; AND IMPROVING MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH. SINCE JANUARY, WE HAVE INVESTED FIFTEEN MILLION PESOS IN SOCIAL PROGRAMS WHICH WERE IMPLEMENTED DIRECTLY BY THE FOUNDATION OR THROUGH OUR DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. TODAY, WE WILL TURN OVER AN ADDITIONAL TEN MILLION PESOS TO VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS WHOSE PROGRAMS ARE PRIMARILY ALIGNED WITH METROBANK’S FOCUS ON THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS.
PRESENT THIS MORNING ARE INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS THE INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF RURAL RECONSTRUCTION OR IIRR THAT WILL CONSTRUCT THE FIRST PILOT DISASTER-RESILIENT CLASSROOM IN TACDUGAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN SAN JACINTO, MASBATE. THERE IS ALSO THE ORGANIZATION ENDORSED BY OUR GUEST OF HONOR, A PARTNER OF THE NINOY AND CORY AQUINO FOUNDATION, THE AKLAT, GABAY ARUGA TUNGO SA PAG-ANGAT AT PAG-ASA OR AGAPP, WHICH AIMS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITIES ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION, A PROVEN WAY OF DECREASING CHILDREN’S DROP-OUT RATE IN SCHOOL. BOTH ORGANIZATIONS AIM TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN ACHIEVE PRIMARY EDUCATION.
JOINING US TODAY IS THE ALALAY SA KAUNLARAN, INC. OR ASKI GLOBAL LIMITED, WHOSE GOAL IS TO ASSIST OVERSEAS FILIPINOS BASED IN SINGAPORE BY GIVING THEM TRAINING COURSES THAT WILL ENABLE THEM TO ESTABLISH THEIR OWN BUSINESSES IN THE PHILIPPINES AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INCOME FOR THEIR FAMILIES. THIS IS OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOAL OF FIGHTING POVERTY.
THROUGH THESE PARTNERSHIPS, MBFI IS ABLE TO IMPLEMENT SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SERVE AS THE LEAD CONDUIT OF THE BANK’S CSR, SPECIFICALLY IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION, EDUCATION, CAPABILITY-BUILDING, ARTS AND ENVIRONMENT. AS OUR 2011 BATTLE CRY GOES, “WE CONVERGE TO INSPIRE CHANGE!”
MBFI ALSO PROVIDES HEALTH INTERVENTION PROGRAMS THAT INCREASE ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE TO INDIGENT PATIENTS. CONDUCTED THROUGH AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MANILA DOCTORS HOSPITAL, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES FINANCIAL SUBSIDY FOR ADMITTED INDIGENT PATIENTS, CONDUCTS SURGICAL MISSIONS AND IMPLEMENTS COMMUNITY AND SCHOOL BASED HEALTH PROGRAMS.
THE FOUNDATION HAS ALSO BEEN ENGAGING MEMBERS OF THE METROBANK GROUP BY ASSISTING THEM DEVELOP THEIR RESPECTIVE CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) INITIATIVES. ALL THE SUBSIDIARY AND AFFILIATE COMPANIES OF THE GROUP HAVE ALREADY DESIGNATED OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF IMPLEMENTING THEIR PARTICULAR CSR PROJECTS OR ARE IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH THE FOUNDATION.
THIS YEAR, THE METROBANK GROUP MARKS A NEW MILESTONE AS OUR SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATES AND PARTNERS CONVERGE TO CARRY OUT PROJECTS AS ONE UNIFIED BODY. THESE ACTIVITIES UNDERSCORED THE GROUP’S RESOLVE TO SHOWCASE OUR COMMITMENT TO NATION-BUILDING, NOT ONLY THROUGH BUSINESS CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT ALSO THROUGH CSR INITIATIVES.
IN 2011, THE FIRST METROBANK GROUP ACTIVITY WAS THE CELEBRATION OF THE CHINESE NEW YEAR IN FEBRUARY. AN ORIGINAL IDEA OF GROUP CHAIRMAN GEORGE S.K. TY, TEN MILLION PESOS (PHP 10,000,000.00) WORTH OF FOOD ITEMS WERE GIVEN OUT TO TEN THOUSAND (10,000) INDIGENT FAMILIES NATIONWIDE AS THEY WELCOMED AND TRANSITIONED TO A NEW YEAR FULL OF POSSIBILITIES AND NEW OPPORTUNITIES.
LAST JULY 2, 2011 UPON THE INITIATIVE OF METROBANK CHAIRMAN ANTONIO ABACAN JR. AND PRESIDENT ARTHUR TY, ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED (1,600) METROBANK GROUP VOLUNTEERS WERE MOBILIZED TO PLANT SIXTEEN THOUSAND (16,000) TREES IN NINE TREE PLANTING SITES FROM LUZON, VISAYAS AND MINDANAO. WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO ENSURE THE CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF THE TREES FOR THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
ALSO, IN JULY, THE METROBANK GROUP PARTICIPATED IN THE BIGGEST CSR EVENT IN THE COUNTRY, THE LEAGUE OF CORPORATE FOUNDATION’S CSR EXPO. A UNIFIED BOOTH WAS SET-UP SHOWCASING CSR EFFORTS OF EACH OF THE MEMBER COMPANIES IN THE CONTEXT OF A BUSINESS CONGLOMERATE WITH A DEFINED SOCIAL VISION.
WE HOPE TO COVER MORE GROUND IN THE COMING YEARS AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAKING SOCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS REMAIN ABUNDANT IN OUR COUNTRY.
OUR GOVERNMENT NEEDS PARTNERS IN DEVELOPMENT. OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONVERGENCE ARE EVERYWHERE. THE METROBANK FOUNDATION CHOSE TO SITUATE ITSELF IN THE HEART OF THE POPULACE BY HONORING KEY PUBLIC SERVANTS WHO EXCEL EVEN AS THEY PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE NOBLE INSTITUTIONS WHICH THEY SERVE. I REFER TO THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE, AND THE ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES. BY ELEVATING THE PUBLIC’S TRUST OF TEACHERS, POLICEMEN AND SOLDIERS, WE ARE BUILDING SOCIAL CAPITAL THAT IS IMPERATIVE TOWARDS EFFECTIVE NATION BUILDING. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THESE EVERYDAY HEROES WHO STRIVE TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE LIKE US WHO GO TO WORK DAY AFTER DAY AND OPERATE BUSINESSES HAVE A CONDUCIVE ENVIRONMENT WHERE WE CAN THRIVE AND SUCCEED.
WITH THE ANNIVERSARY THEME “FORGING AHEAD”, METROBANK REAFFIRMS OUR CONTINUED PURSUIT TO BE THE BEST BANK FOR ALL STAKEHOLDERS, BY MAKING EVEN DEEPER CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE COUNTRY’S GENERAL WELL BEING.
THROUGH THE FOUNDATION, THE BANK WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO EXCEL AND GIVE RECOGNITION TO THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS. THE FOUNDATION WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE INDIVIDUALS TO ASPIRE FOR GREATER THAN THEMSELVES AND BE POSITIVE AGENTS OF CHANGE. AND THE FOUNDATION WILL CONTINUE TO EMPOWER ORGANIZATIONS TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES.
MORE THAN A DUTY, IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE TO BE ENTRUSTED WITH THE PUBLIC’S TRUST, AND IT IS OUR ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THIS TRUST WILL NOT BE BETRAYED.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND GOOD MORNING.
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