EMPOWERMENT through dynamic partnerships has been at the heart of Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co.’s (Metrobank)anniversary for the many decades. This rings true as it celebrates 58 meaningful years of being the people’s ally in progress this year. A total of P30 million worth of grants was turned over virtually to social development partners during its annual giving-back tradition.

Coursed through its social arm, Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) and Ty family’s GT Foundation, Inc. (GTFI), this year’s batch of beneficiary organizations received financial aid to implement their programs on health, education, arts, livelihood, and nutrition.

“The theme of this year’s event is collaboration. In these unusual times, our actions may be physically limited but through strategic partnerships, we can still achieve our objectives by working together,” said Metrobank and MBFI chairman Arthur V. Ty. “We at Metrobank have always looked at our anniversaries as an opportunity to give back and help the vulnerable and marginalized.”

PROMOTING HAND HYGIENE
As a member of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF), MBFI will support #LCFWinS: Lingap Eskwela sa Pandemya Program. Collaborating with fellow corporate foundations, WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities will be constructed in select public schools nationwide. To complement the facility, hygiene kits and supplies will also be provided. MBFI’s donation will benefit almost 29 thousand students from 20 schools in Pasig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, and Marikina, including La Union, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal, Zamboanga City and Davao City.

REACHING MORE SCHOOLS
To reach out to more geographically isolated schools, MBFI renewed its seven-year partnership with the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation. Aside from providing physical access to education for school children in the form of boats and school dormitories, MBFI will also provide in-kind donations of printers, copiers and risograph machines to aid teachers in the reproduction of the modules and learning materials. The donation shall benefit more than 20,000 students from 39 schools in the provinces of Cebu, Romblon, Zamboanga Sibugay, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Pampanga, Zambales, Bulacan, Basilan, Siargao, Tarlac, Capiz, Zamboanga del Sur, and Sulu.

Meanwhile, another donation of printers, copiers and risograph machines will go directly to select Department of Education public schools to benefit more than 23 thousand students from Manila, Navotas, Makati, Laguna, Sarangani, Leyte, Antique, Dipolog, Nueva Ecija, Iligan, Cavite, Iloilo, and Tarlac.

ART COMMUNITY GETS SUPPORT
To further solidify support for the local art community, MBFI also extended cash assistance to 200 visual artists whose main source of living was impacted by the crisis.

MINISTRY TO CURB POVERTY Another partnership renewed is that of the International Care Ministries. The donation will support their Transform and Prevail programs aimed at training and mentoring families living in ultra-poor communities on livelihood building skills. The assistance will cater to 222 households (1,110 individuals) from six communities in Cebu.

‘KINDNESS KITCHEN’ GOES SOUTH
From its previous donation to support the ‘Kindness Kitchen’ program of Ronald McDonald’s House Charities of the Philippines that served hot meals to 40 thousand individuals from NCR in April this year, MBFI will fund additional feeding activities. Families and frontliners from the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu Lapu, and Davao province will be reached out to.

GT FOUNDATION STEPS UP TECH-VOC PROGRAM
GTFI, the family foundation of the late Dr. George Ty Siao Kian, believes that quality education and equitable healthcare are basic needs that should be made accessible to the underprivileged. Through its Scholarships for Technical-Vocational Education Program (STEP), out-of-school youth and underprivileged students can gain access to quality education that enable them to gain immediate employment.

The virtual event served as an opportunity to renew the partnership with Dualtech Training Center, Don Bosco Technical Institute, and Punlaan School. Over a period of three years, 150 Dualtech scholars will be supported to meet the manpower demands of specific industries. On the other hand, the three-year partnership with the Don Bosco Technical Institute will support the technical skills education of 135 scholars from their three centers. Lastly, 24 scholars of Punlaan School will have the opportunity to gain proper skills training on hospitality and culinary arts through a four-year agreement.

HEALTHCARE FOR INDIGENTS
Manila Doctors Hospital (MDH) serves as the healthcare affiliate of MBFI which offers social services to indigent patients such as hospitalization and consultation subsidies, medical missions, and other health-related interventions in select communities. Through the annual financial support of GTFI, the corporate social responsibility programs of MDH such as quality non-discriminatory inpatient and outpatient services and surgical operations will reach out to more indigent Filipinos in need of medical assistance.

LAPTOPS AND TABLETS FOR BLENDED LEARNING
To complement the National Government’s groundwork for a blended learning approach for the school year, GTFI launched Project PERFORM or Provision of Equipment to Reinforce Facility of Online and Remote Modality of Learning. The program is targeting to give laptops and tablets to more than 600 qualified students from public and techvoc schools, as well as GTFI and MBFI scholars.

“Sharing has been at the core of Metrobank’s anniversary for the last 58 years. Grants turned over to our partners are intended to benefit those whom they are helping. Our donations are expressions of gratefulness ingrained in our institutional culture,” said MBFI president and GTFI executive director Aniceto Sobrepeña.  “As we pursue these ideals, we do so honoring the memory of our founder Dr. George Ty Siao Kian. He envisioned a bequest that would go well beyond his lifetime, enabling and ennobling men to build a world where sound health, quality education, and productive lives are everyone’s portion,” he said.

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