METROPOLITAN Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank) raised P35 billion from its latest Asean sustainability bond offering, marking its largest peso bond issuance to date and reflecting strong investor demand for sustainable investments.
In a statement, the bank said its 1.5-year fixed-rate Series F Asean Sustainability Bonds, which carry an interest rate of 5.4727 percent per annum, drew strong demand from both retail and institutional investors.
Orders received were seven times the base offer of P5 billion, prompting the bank to close the offer period on March 23, a week ahead of the original March 30 schedule.
“Proceeds from the issuance will be used to diversify Metrobank’s funding sources and support lending activities,” it said, particularly those aligned with its sustainable finance framework (SFF), including the financing or refinancing of eligible green and social assets.
The bank’s SSF was assigned an SQS2 (“Very Good”) Sustainability Quality Score by Moody’s Ratings, indicating strong alignment with global sustainability standards.
Metrobank Treasury Group head John Lu said the strong take-up highlighted investor confidence and growing interest in impact-driven investments.
“We are encouraged by the strong response to this issuance, which reflects the trust our clients and partners continue to place in Metrobank. It also highlights the growing demand for investments that deliver not only financial returns, but also meaningful and lasting impact.”
First Metro Investment Corp., ING Bank N.V. Manila Branch and Standard Chartered Bank acted as joint lead managers and joint bookrunners, and together with Metrobank also served as selling agents, while ING Bank was the sustainability coordinator.
“Metrobank remains committed to being a steady partner to its clients and stakeholders, supporting their financial goals while contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive future,” it said.
The bank’s shares on Tuesday added P0.20, or 0.30 percent, to close at P67.50 each, outperforming the broader market as the Philippine Stock Exchange index ended down 0.68 percent.
