Focus on: Our legal department

The office of the general counsel (OGC) of Metrobank provides crucial support in the negotiations and documentation of the Bank’s financial transactions with its clients who are the country’s top conglomerates and multi-national companies. These financial dealings cover a multitude of projects in public infrastructure, energy, telecommunications, and real estate, among others. Recently, we have been involved in the syndication for the financing of a major reclamation project in Manila. This financing deal is a ground-breaking undertaking in terms of project scope and cost and includes the country’s biggest domestic banks as part of the loan syndicate.

Our team provides legal support and advice to Metrobank on a broad range of issues affecting the bank including issues on policy, risk, human resources, and regulatory and compliance matters, among others. We are also normally part of the core team directly involved in the planning and implementation of the bank’s management and business initiatives. This year, we partnered with our sustainability department to update the bank’s environmental, social and governance framework and practices in order to align with international/local regulations and best practices. This undertaking will put forth a mechanism to evaluate and ensure that the bank’s investments and operations will have a positive impact on the environment and society as a whole. Last year, Metrobank also participated and was shortlisted in the bidding for the consumer business of a global investment bank. Our team was front and center in the preparation of the bid documents and review of the legal documentation, as well as in the coordination of the various units of the Bank involved in the project.

Our initiatives also extend to fostering cooperation and fellowship among the legal and data protection teams of the entities under the Metrobank group. Prior to the pandemic, the OGC launched a program for the various legal teams within the Metrobank group to meet regularly and to discuss common legal issues affecting their respective principals. The OGC likewise launched a newsletter circulated among the legal teams of the Metrobank group of companies. In May 2023, the Metrobank data protection department, which is organizationally part of the OGC, spearheaded the DPO Summit attended by the data protection officers and teams of the different corporate entities under the Metrobank group of companies.