A Heart That Serves: Celebrating Metrobank Foundation’s 45th Anniversary
5th Metrobank Foundation Award for Continuing Excellence and Service (ACES). For exemplifying “A Heart that Serves”, MBFI conferred 32 exceptional individuals consisting of teachers, police officers, soldiers, artists, journalists, and scholars with ACES. Joining them on stage (middle, from left to right) are MBFI president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, GT Foundation president Alfred V. Ty, and Metrobank president Fabian S. Dee.
Celebrating its 45th year this 2024, the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) continues to carry on the legacy of generosity of the late Dr. George S.K. Ty, founder of both the Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank) and MBFI. With the vision to become the country’s premier corporate philanthropic foundation, MBFI is determined to engage and empower communities toward nation-building through its various corporate social responsibility programs on excellence recognition, visual arts, education, disaster response, and grant-giving.
To commemorate the milestone occasion, MBFI recognized exceptional individuals from its roster of awardees and scholars who continued performing their duties with excellence and contributing positively to their respective institutions and communities. They were conferred the 5th Metrobank Foundation Award for Continuing Excellence and Service (ACES), having exemplified “A Heart that Serves”—the foundation’s anniversary theme for this year.
“A Heart that Serves” is a philosophy that defines the foundation’s advocacies. MBFI believes that hearts at work symbolize the untamable Filipino character−sincere and selfless. The foundation takes pride in dedicating its energies to the empowerment of others, knowing that nation-building becomes an easy task when all hearts are working together towards its fulfillment. This has been MBFI’s mission since 1979.
This same heart can be seen in the enduring commitment of the exemplary individuals that MBFI honored during their anniversary celebration held at Marquis Events Place in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig last February 29, 2024.
“A heart that serves is powerful and transformative as we have seen through the last 45 years of Metrobank Foundation’s work. We celebrate it as the legacy of Dr. George S. K. Ty, the man who started it all. It was his corporate vision that the Metrobank conglomerate would pursue nation-building by serving the people who have been an integral part of the company’s acceleration. Service to the community is enshrined in the core values of the Metrobank Group, a payback, as much as a paying forward, the collective success of the business,” said MBFI president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña in his message.
More than 30 individuals were recognized during the event, each receiving the ‘Spiral’ medallion created by 1984 Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) awardee, Roberto Feleo.
The honorees were chosen among the previous awardees of the Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos (OF), which recognizes exemplars from the academe, military, and the police, as well as of the Metrobank Art & Design Excellence (MADE) program, which honors the talent and hard work of young Filipino artists. Also included in the roster are the Metrobank Foundation Journalists of the Year (JOY) awardees and Metrobank Foundation scholars.
ACES awardees from the roster of the Metrobank Foundation OF are: Roy B. Basa, Ph.D. (2016), Allan Moore S. Cabrillas, Ph.D. (2014), Allan M. Canonigo, Ph.D. (2004), Ernelea P. Cao, Ph.D. (2016), Thomas Edison E. Dela Cruz, Dr Rer Nat (2015), Ernani S. Fernandez Jr., Ed.D. (2015), Rowena R. Hibanada, Ph.D. (2008), Glendale B. Lamiseria, MS (2007), Lourdes L. Matan, Ph.D. (2009), Rejie F. Palmos, Ph.D. (2015), Samuel R. Soliven, Ph.D. (2003), Mark Anthony J. Torres, Ph.D. (2016), Catherine P. Vistro-Yu, Ed.D. (2012), Col. Wilfredo B Manalang Jr, GSC (2016), BGen Pedro Ramon L Sinajon Jr, AFP (Ret) (1999), PSMS Aida L Awitin (2018), PMAJ Helen L Dela Cruz (2011), PBGEN Joel B Doria, Ph.D. (2017), PMGEN Edgar Alan O Okubo (2013), PCPT Shiela May S Pansoy, MPsy (2017), PMAJ Anna Lisa R Reyes (2008), and PCOL Jemuel F Siason, MPA (2016).
ACES was also presented to MADE awardees: Leslie E. De Chavez (2003), Christopher L. Gomez (2012), Felix M. Miguel (1989), and Heidrun Milan, IDr (2010); to JOY awardees: Rodrigo “Jiggy” D. Manicad Jr. (2013), Horacio “Howie” G. Severino (2015), and Maria Teresa “Marites” D. Vitug (2015); and to former Metrobank Foundation scholars Mary Rachelle C. Batanes, MA, Maria Rosario P. Ilao, and Brian Gil S. Sarinas, Ph.D.
Institutional partners were also honored during the special gathering, under the 4th Metrobank Foundation Award for Partners in Empowerment, Advocacy, and Commitment to Excellence (PEACE) to acknowledge their collaborative efforts with MBFI toward nation-building.
“We encourage you to continue with us in this noble call to nation-building, leveraging our modest resources, and amplifying your work as our partners to be there for the disadvantaged and the marginalized. Let us not get tired of doing what is right,” said Sobrepeña, addressing the partners of the foundation.
Thirty (30) institutions that include national government agencies, non-government and socio-civic organizations, international organizations as well as the academe, business, and media received the ‘Kapit-Bisig’ trophy created by Architect Jonathan Dangue, 2011 MADE awardee.
From the National Government Agencies, MBFI acknowledged partners from the Department of Education, the Philippine National Police, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Postal Corporation.
From Non-Government and Socio-Civic Organizations, MBFI honored Got Heart Foundation, Inc., Linangan Art Residency, BAYO Foundation, Inc., International Care Ministries, Metrobank Foundation Network of Outstanding Teachers and Educators, BINHI English Literacy Foundation, Inc., Food for the Hungry, Inc. Branch Office, Philippine Business for Education, World Vision Development Foundation, Inc., and Knowledge Channel Foundation, Inc.
Partners recognized from the business sector include City Savings Bank, Inc., China Bank Savings, BDO Network Bank/BDO Foundation, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Inc., Globe Telecom, and Manila Doctors Hospital.
The PEACE award was also presented to SEAMEO INNOTECH and Manila Tytana Colleges, as well as to media partners GMA Network, Inc., DWIZ (Aliw Broadcasting Corp.), and The Manila Times, and COVID-19 intervention partners, Ronald McDonald House Charities Philippines, DZRH (Manila Broadcasting Co.), Manila Water Foundation, and Ateneo de Davao University.
4th Metrobank Foundation Award for Partners in Empowerment, Advocacy, and Commitment to Excellence (PEACE). Metrobank Foundation honored 30 institutional partners from various government agencies, non-government and socio-civic organizations, international organizations, academe, business, and media with the PEACE award to acknowledge their collaborative efforts with MBFI toward nation-building. Joining them on stage (middle, from left to right) are MBFI president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña, GT Foundation president Alfred V. Ty, and Metrobank president Fabian S. Dee.
Another highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the gallant members of armed forces and police—Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Soldiers and Police Officers who are promoted as star-rank generals. They were: GEN Romeo S Brawner Jr (2013); BGEN Elmer B Suderio PA (2017); BGEN Antonio Z Francisco Jr PAF (2012); BGEN Eligen F Villaflor PA (GSC) (2016); PMGEN Eric E Noble (Ret) (2009); PMGEN Belli B Tamayo (2012); PMGEN Edgar Allan O Okubo (2013); PMGEN Ronald O Lee (2008); PMGEN Leo M Francisco (2010); PBGEN Alden B Delvo (2009); PMGEN Sidney N Villaflor (2010); PBGEN Wilson Joseph F Lopez (2007); and PBGEN Joel B Doria (Ret) (2017).
Star-rank Generals. Metrobank Foundation Outstanding Filipinos Soldiers and Police Officers who were promoted as star-rank generals were presented during Metrobank Foundation’s 45th anniversary celebration. They were joined on stage by MBFI president Aniceto M. Sobrepeña and GT Foundation president Alfred V. Ty (middle).
Recently, MBFI also recognized its internal stakeholders who were instrumental in helping realize its mission of corporate philanthropy through the Seal of Trust for Allies in Responsive Service (STARS).
MBFI was established on January 8, 1979, sixteen (16) years after Dr. Ty founded Metrobank. It is the corporate social responsibility arm of the Metrobank Group, implementing various programs on education, facilitating excellence recognition among key professions in the civil service and visual arts, and extending grants to address disaster relief and response needs, as well as social development gaps.
Tags: 2024 News, Anniversary
