First Metro named Best Bond House by Finance Asia

MANILA, Philippines - First Metro Investment Corp., the investment banking arm of the Metrobank Group, has been named the Philippines’ Best Bond House by Hong Kong-based publication FinanceAsia in its 2014 Country Awards for Achievement.

 First Metro president Roberto Juanchito Dispo said this marks the fourth time the company received the recognition from FinanceAsia since 2009.

“We are truly grateful for the perennial honor we receive from FinanceAsia. It drives us to strive harder to reinforce our position as a premier investment bank in the country and as a prime mover in the development of the Philippine capital markets,” he said.

 In the awards’ covered period, First Metro owned the debt capital markets with its 88 percent market share, raising P456.48 billion of the total P520.72 billion peso-denominated government and corporate debt issuances.

 Some of the deals First Metro was involved in were the Bureau of the Treasury’s P150-billion retail Treasury bonds, Pagbilao Energy Corp.’s P33.31-billion project finance loan facility, JG Summit Holdings’ P30-billion fixed rate bonds, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines’ P29.5-billion fixed rate corporate notes, Ayala Land’s P29-billion fixed rate bonds, Therma South’s P24-billion term loan facility, Meralco’s P18.5-billion fixed rate bonds, and PLDT’s P15-billion fixed rate bonds.

As a dominant market player, First Metro is now casting its eyes on Asia, forging strategic partnerships with regional players. “Receiving this award at the advent of ASEAN integration signifies our readiness to fulfill our vision of becoming a respected name in the Asian region,” Dispo added.

 FinanceAsia is a leading publishing company in the region that covers the financial and capital markets. It recognizes the region’s most significant transactions and financial institutions through its annual Country Awards for Achievement.

 First Metro has over 50 years of service in the development of the Philippine capital markets. As of end-2012, its assets stood at P82 billion with stockholders’ equity of P15 billion, making it the largest investment bank in the Philippines.

 It was ranked among the Top 11 Philippine Companies and among the Best ASEAN 100 Companies based on relative wealth added index by New York-based management consulting firm Stern Stewart & Co.

In 2009, 2011 and 2013, First Metro was awarded as Best Bond House in the Philippines by FinanceAsia. It also received the same recognition from The Asset Magazine of Hong Kong for four consecutive years since 2009. In 2012, it was recognized by FinanceAsia as the Best Equity House in the Philippines and in 2013, as one of the Top 10 Best Managed Companies in the country..