FOR the second time in a row, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) was named The Strongest Bank in the Philippines by The Asian Banker.

The bank continued to outperform its peers in the country in terms of capitalization and liquidity. Its tier 1 capital ratio, total capital adequacy ratio, and liquid assets to total deposits and borrowings ratio remained high. Moreover, the bank grew its lowcost CASA (current account savings account) deposits, reflecting its solid deposit franchise. Meanwhile, with its prudent management of credit risk, the bank demonstrated stronger asset quality than its peer banks in the country,” said Asian Banker in its citation for choosing Metrobank as the Philippines’ strongest bank by balance sheet for 2022.

In a statement, Metrobank President Fabian Dee attributed the award to the bank’s 14,000-strong Metrobankers.

“Since our beginnings 60 years ago, the goal has always been to live up to our promise, to keep our clients in good hands, while delivering consistent results for our shareholders. We could not have done this without the support of our employees. We therefore dedicate this award to them,” he said.

This highly sought award is given to financial institutions who have exhibited strength based on their financial performance, which covers their ability to scale, balance sheet growth, risk profile, profitability, asset quality and liquidity.

As of end September 2022, Metrobank remains to be the country’s second-largest private universal bank. Capital ratios are among the highest in the industry, with total CAR at 17.2 percent and common equity tier 1 ratio at 16.3 percent. The bank’s consolidated assets stood at P2.7 trillion, making it one of the strongest and wellcapitalized banks in the country.