August 12, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Metropolitan Financial institution & Belief Co. (Metrobank) is banking on the robust momentum of its shopper lending portfolio to drive earnings sooner within the second half, as strong demand for automotive and residential loans in addition to aggressive vacation promos are anticipated to maintain the double-digit lending progress.
Peaches Cuenco, head of Metrobank’s Client Lending Group, mentioned shopper loans have been increasing at a stable tempo, led by a 20-percent leap in automotive loans and an eight-percent improve in residence loans within the first half. Client loans account for about 22 % of the financial institution’s mortgage e-book.
“For shopper loans, each peso that you just lend out offers you a much bigger return in comparison with lending that very same peso as a business mortgage. That’s why we wish to get extra shopper loans – it’s a profitability play,” Cuenco mentioned.
“We hope to maintain and even exceed our double-digit progress, with out compromising our best-in-market non-performing mortgage (NPL) ranges.”
She famous that Metrobank, along with subsidiary PSBank, holds the largest market share in automotive loans, whereas rating among the many prime 5 lenders in residence financing. Non-performing mortgage ratios for each segments stay at a low one to 1.2 %, nicely beneath the trade’s six % in some instances.
Metrobank posted a internet revenue of P24.8 billion within the first half of 2025 on the again of wholesome mortgage progress, enhancing margins, strong buying and selling beneficial properties and tighter value management.
Gross loans expanded by 13.2 % year-on-year, with institutional lending up by 12.7 % attributable to rising company capital expenditures. Client loans rose by 15.3 %, bolstered by an 18.2 % improve in bank card receivables and a 17.8 % rise in auto loans.
To maintain the expansion momentum, Metrobank is rolling out its 2025 “Glad Holideals” promo from Aug. 1 to Oct. 15, providing waived charges of as much as P100,000 and low rates of interest for accepted automotive and residential loans booked by Oct. 31.
For automotive loans, charges begin at 8.7 % each year for a three-year time period, whereas residence mortgage charges go as little as 6.5 % for a three-year mounted time period. Clients additionally get free first-year automotive insurance coverage from AXA Philippines.
The financial institution additionally launched its #EarlyGIFT Problem, urging Filipinos to set one particular and actionable monetary purpose forward of the vacation rush, constructing on final 12 months’s GIFT framework of goal-setting, investing bonuses correctly, following a price range and benefiting from offers.
Cuenco mentioned the financial institution stays “very cautious” in increasing into new market segments, testing credit score packages earlier than rolling them out to make sure asset high quality.
“As we develop, we won’t blow out our danger indicators simply to get quantity. It must be balanced and sustained,” she mentioned.
Metrobank is without doubt one of the nation’s largest personal common banks. It has an intensive consolidated community that spans over 960 home branches nationwide, greater than 2,200 automated teller machines in addition to 28 international places of work.
