Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company (Metrobank) recently won the award for Best Managed Company in the Philippines in the Mid-Cap Corporate category in the 2009 Best Managed Companies Awards of Asiamoney.

The Awards are based on a survey of investors and analysts from across the region to name Asia’s best managed companies. The respondents particularly cited the Bank’s improved asset quality and efficiency gains, which enabled it to post good growth despite the difficult business environment brought about by the global financial crisis.

“We are very pleased to be recognized by Asiamoney,” said Metrobank president Arthur Ty. “This reaffirms that we are on-track in fulfilling our vision to be the best bank for all our stakeholders, and in honoring our commitment to shareholder value, operational efficiency, and corporate governance principles.”

“We’ve put a lot of effort in strengthening our operations,” disclosed Ty. “Our strategies are proving effective, and we are glad this is evident even to our stakeholders outside of the institution.”

Asiamoney is a financial monthly publication that provides discerning reporting and analysis of financial and investment markets for capital issuers, borrowers, institutional investors, and senior corporate and government monetary decision-makers with business interests in Asia-Pacific countries. It serves as a one-point source of practical financial intelligence for executives in finance, treasury and banking who have Asia in their investment and business portfolio.

Metrobank’s profits increased by 24% year-on-year to P4.6 billion in the first nine months of 2009, with third quarter earnings rising 49% to P1.5 billion. Its gross non-performing loans (NPL) dropped 26%, while its NPL ratio fell to 4.1% at the end of the third quarter, from 5.3% during the same period last year.