Metrobank foundations give P75 million to social groups

MBFI President and GTFI Executive Director Philip Dy said the foundations are directing resources toward community needs, including access to healthcare and nutrition, education gaps, livelihood challenges and disaster preparedness.

“These are not isolated concerns. Addressing challenges of this scale requires more than good intentions. It calls for strategic investments, innovative solutions, and a willingness to act where the need is greatest,” he said.

Dy told DAILY TRIBUNE on the sidelines of the event that the grants were solely funded by its parent bank as well as GT Capital. He said the latest turnover underscores the private sector’s increasing role in supporting Filipinos.

“Businesses, the private sector [are] also willing to come together for the sake of the people,” he said.

“We have to get together and pull our resources [to] help each other.”

For health programs, MBFI will work with Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation Philippines, St. Luke’s Medical Center Foundation, Manila Doctors Hospital and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction. The projects cover medical assistance, surgical and inpatient services, healthcare access and household nutrition.

“We've seen this many times. Even if you're a middle-class family, even if you save money, you only need one medical emergency to wipe out all of your savings,” Dy said.

“So because of how expensive health care is in the Philippines, we thought it best that supporting medical expenses is something that most Filipinos need,” he added.

In education, the foundation will support the construction of nine classrooms in selected Last Mile Schools in Bukidnon, math instruction for high-potential senior high school students, and English literacy and reading programs.

Dy said that building strong foundations eliminates the need for catch-up spending and educational reforms.

“If we only do catch-up, it takes more resources to do catch-up than getting the foundation right. So investing more on early childhood education is very important so that you set them up for success,” he said.

Dy also highlighted the need to support the nation’s educators.

“Teachers are the greatest multiplier in the educational system. But they need support. They need assistance. And they need inspiration also.”

“In early childhood literacy and numeracy, we have partners that we got to work with that are really focused on going to the schools, they train the teachers, they help the teachers do the classes properly so that the foundation can be built,” he added.

Meanwhile, MBFI said its livelihood initiatives include a 10,000-bag-capacity onion cold storage facility in San Manuel, Tarlac, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and the municipal government. The facility is intended to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the onion supply chain. Other grants will support families displaced by Typhoon Tino and fisherfolk livelihoods.