In 2002 and 2003, minority shareholder Ana Maria Aguirre Koruga, asked the BSP to investigate the

bank. She claimed that Banco Filipino's management and directors had: One, engaged in unsafe,
unsound, and even fraudulent banking practices. Two, engaged in self-dealing. Three, violated banking
laws prohibiting or limiting DOSRI transactions, put the bank and its depositors in jeopardy. The minority
shareholder sued not just Banco Filipino's board and management, but also, sued both the BSP and the
Monetary Board to replace current board and management and place the bank under receivership.

The complaint documented around PHP 1.95 billion in loans to six dummy borrower corporations made
from 2000 to 2002.

These six dummy corporations all operated on a similar modus operandi: Lend favorably to Dummy
Corporations affiliated with Banco Filipino Vice-Chairman Bobby Aguirre. These dummy corporations did
not have the financial capacity to justify the loans at the time of loan approval. The dummy corporations
would then provide Banco Filipino with collateral properties from other corporations affiliated with Banco
Filipino Vice Chairman Bobby Aguirre. The bank would then appraise the collateral properties at inflated
valuations. The dummy corporations would not pay any interest or principal on the loans. Instead, they
would settle their loan obligations via Dacion en Pago within months of loan approval.

This modus operandi became the preferred method for drawing large amounts of cash out of Banco
Filipino for the benefit of BF Vice Chairman Bobby Aguirre. It was a way of disposing or selling unsaleable
real estate to Banco Filipino. It allowed Banco Filipino to continue to reflect a profit and deflect regulatory
scrutiny.

The Dacions made by the Dummy Corporations explain the jump in Acquired Assets from 2000 to 2002

The regulators were impotent with Banco Filipino. They could not compel the bank, a publicly-listed firm in
a highly regulated sector to change management responsible for the bank's precarious financial condition.
They could not get Banco Filipino to significantly reduce Executive Compensation running at PHP 600
million a year while the bank was losing over PHP 2.0 billion a year every year. BSP could not persuade
Banco Filipino to realize the supposed value of its acquired assets through genuine asset sales that will
recapitalize the bank with hard cash, instead of inflated properties. It could not mandate Banco Filipino to
reverse the deferment of its PHP 12.1 billion in operating losses despite numerous Monetary Board
directives to do so. BSP could not get Banco Filipino to issue audited financial statements since 2002. It
did not force Banco Filipino to resume holding formal board meetings that have not taken place since
2002. It could not do this despite the presence of a BSP installed Comptroller as a condition of the rescue
package it extended Banco Filipino in 2002.

Banco Filipino faced no repercussions for its actions. It correctly assumed that financial assistance will
always be forthcoming. As late as September 2010, despite no visible improvement in the bank's
operations, Banco Filipino was able to negotiate a rehabilitation plan with BSP and the Monetary Board
that seemed to leave the bank's board and management intact, allow the deferral or capitalization of
losses, allow the recapitalization of the bank with real estate properties. The main reason why this plan
was not operationalized was only because Banco Filipino refused to drop its PHP 18 billion damage suit
against BSP and its officials as BSP's precondition for the adoption of the rehabilitation plan.

The only thing that had changed was that Banco Filipino, at that time, seemed willing to drop its damage
claim against the BSP as a precondition of the adoption of the rehabilitation plan. It seems that the
regulators overriding concern was the removal of the risk of punitive litigation and legal harassment. That
concern overshadowed the safety and soundness of the banking system, the defrauding of minority
investors, and the depletion of the deposit insurance funds.

Meanwhile, the minority shareholders were stymied at every turn. Their fraud complaint was
characterized by both the media and by the regulators as a family squabble among the members of the
Aguirre family. The real issue, however, was massive fraud. The BSP and the Monetary Board blocked
numerous efforts of minority shareholders to assess the true financial condition of the bank and bring
about a change in bank management and policies.

On June 19, 2009, in the case "Koruga vs. Arcenas", the Supreme Court ruled that all bank fraud cases
are the exclusive jurisdiction of the BSP. The minority shareholder had no recourse to the Regional Trial
Courts even if the BSP did not act on their complaints. This means that the BSP is the sole venue for
resolving disputes among bank shareholders. This ruling applies to all bank fraud cases. It represents a
severe diminution of investor protections, particularly for foreign investors who lack the political
connections of their local partners. It may dissuade further investment into the Philippine Banking Sector.

Regulators want Congress to amend the degree of diligence required from BSP and its officers in bank
supervision duties from extraordinary to reasonable. It also wants better mechanisms for the quick
resolution of problem banks. For instance, PDIC supports a Closed Bank Liquidation Act that ties all laws
with respect to bank liquidation in one comprehensive act.

The System is Broken. Bank management can commit fraud with relative impunity. Regulators are
reluctant to act in a timely manner for fear of years of punitive litigation and legal harassment. Minority
Shareholders have no legal recourse to fight bank fraud if the regulators refuse to act.

This will lead to a continued erosion of confidence in the banking system. It fosters a control fraud
environment wherein a bank owner or executive uses the bank he controls as a weapon to commit fraud.
A determined and criminally minded bank owner can steal from his own bank and get away with it. The
fraud will exist and go unreported for years on end. Regulators are unable to stop the fraud. Fraud only
stops when the bank collapses.

In the Philippines, the best way to rob a bank might be to own one.

PENETRATION TO RURAL AREAS

_______________________________________
Marketing Strategy of Bank of the Philippine Islands - December 13th, 2010
Bank of the Philippine Islands (Spanish: Banco de las Islas Filipinas, commonly known as
BPI; PSE: BPI) is the oldest bank in the Philippines still in operation and is the country's
third largest bank in the country in terms of assets, the country's largest bank in terms of
market capitalization, and the country's most profitable bank. It is owned by the Ayala
Corporation - the largest conglomerate in the Philippines, and is based in Makati City's
Central Business District, on the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas.

BPI is also the oldest bank in Southeast Asia and has a long and distinguished history that
spans over a century. It has either influenced or has been influenced by many nations,
including parts of the former Spanish Empire, especially Mexico, and the United States.
While it is considered by many as an old institution, BPI is trying, with moderate success, to
promote itself as a dynamic institution that caters to its various clients, which hail from
various sectors of Philippine society.

BPI also pioneered rural banking in the Philippines, as its countryside banking operations
preceded that of many other banks' rural banking operations by many years. Today, it
maintains a large rural branch network, with some branches dating bank to the Spanish or
American colonial periods. Its branch network of 831 branches is by far the largest branch
network of any bank in the Philippines.

The bank has received several awards from various financial magazines, such as Euromoney
the Far Eastern Economic Review, The Banker, Euromoney, Finance Asia, and Global
Finance . Its most recent award was from Asiamoney. In April 2010, which the bank was
awarded as the Philippines' Strongest Bank. In 2009, the bank bags 10 awards as the Best
Domestic Bank; Best Local Cash Management Bank in the Philippines as voted by Small-
Sized Corporations; Best Local Cash Management Bank in the Philippines as voted by
Medium-Sized Corporations; Best Local Cash Management Bank in the Philippines as voted
by Large-Sized Corporations; Best Domestic Provider of FX Services in the Philippines as
voted by Corporates; Best Domestic FX Provider of FX Prime Broking Services in the
Philippines as voted by Corporates; Best Domestic FX Provider of Single-Bank Electronic
Trading Platform.

Statistics:
Public Company
Incorporated: 1851 El Banco Español Filipino de Isabel 2
Employees: 11,554
Net Earnings: P 5.17 billion ($938 million)(2002)
Stock Exchanges: Philippines
Ticker Symbol: BPI
NAIC: 522110 Commercial Banking

Company Perspectives:
Through the years, BPI strove to deliver the highest standards of convenience banking
through the ingenuity of technology and creative management. As the recognized "most
technologically advanced bank", BPI introduced the first successful automated teller
machine (ATM) service in the Philippines. Among BPI's other firsts are: the issuance of the
first debit card, the introduction of cashless shopping with the Express Teller Card, the
establishment of banking kiosks, the Express Banking Centers, the launching of telephone
banking with the Express Phone, and the use of a Call Center. BPI has distinguished itself by
catering to the ever-evolving needs and lifestyles of the public.

Key Dates:
1828: King Ferdinand VII of Spain issues a decree authorizing the formation of Bank in the
Philippines.
1851: El Banco Español Filipino de Isabel 2 is established.
1898: The bank becomes a Filipino institution after United States takes over the Philippines
from Spain.
1912: The bank changes its name to Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI).
1969: Ayala Corporation acquires control of BPI.
1974: BPI acquires Peoples Bank and Trust Company.
1980: The bank begins leasing operations.
1981: Commercial Bank and Trust Company is acquired, and the first ATMs are introduced.
1982: The company converts to expanded commercial bank status.
1995: First Cavite Savings is acquired.
1999: Far East Bank and Trust Company is acquired.
2000: BPI Direct internet banking service is launched, and Ayala insurance companies are
acquired.
2002: DBS Bank Philippines is acquired.
2003: The company spins off re-insurance operations into Universal Malayan Reinsurance
Corporation.

Company History:

Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is that country's second-largest bank, trailing only
Metropolitan Bank & Trust. It is also the Philippines' oldest bank and one of the oldest of all
Asian banks. BPI offers a full range of commercial and retail financial services, including
corporate finance services, asset management, and brokerage and other financial consulting
services. BPI's retail network includes more than 700 branches throughout the Philippines,
as well as branches in New York, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. The bank also operates a network
of more than 1,200 automated teller machines and more than 8,500 retailer-based point-of-
sale machines. In 1999, BPI pioneered online banking in the Philippines with the launch of
online bank BPI Direct in 1999. In addition to its banking products and services, BPI has
also developed a strong non-life insurance operation, chiefly under subsidiary BPI/MS
Insurance Corporation. Listed on the Philippines Stock Exchange, BPI has long been
majority controlled by Philippines conglomerate Ayala Corporation.

Founding Asian Banking History in the 19th Century

The increasing trade between Spain and the Philippine Islands created a need for a banking
facility in the Spanish colony. A first attempt to establish a colonial bank came in 1828,
when King Ferdinand VII called for the creation of a public bank in the Philippines. Yet the
actual formation of the bank did not occur until the middle of the century, under the
auspices of then colonial governor Antonio de Urbiztondo y Eguia, who took up his post in
1850.

Urbiztondo established the bank the following year in the Royal Custom House in the
fortress town of Intramuros. The bank was named El Banco Español Filipino de Isabel 2 in
honor of the reigning queen of Spain. Joining the bank's policy board was Antonio de Ayala.
The Ayala family and the later Ayala Corporation were to remain intimately related with the
bank and with the Philippines' industrial development.

As the first and only public bank in the Philippines--and perhaps the first public bank in all of
Southeast Asia--El Banco Español Filipino de Isabel 2 was granted the authority to issue the
first paper money in the Philippines. That operation started in 1852, when the bank issued
its first pesos fuertes, or 'strong pesos.'

El Banco Español Filipino de Isabel 2 and its successors played a prominent role in financing
the development of the Philippines. This included financing for the country's first railroad,
and, later, its telephone network, its electric utilities, and the country's first steamship
service.

In the meantime, the bank changed its name after Isabel II was dethroned in 1869,
becoming more simply El Banco Español Filipino. Nonetheless, the bank remained under the
control of Spain. The bank remained in its Intramuros site until nearly the end of the
century. However, the shift in Manila's industrial and commercial activity led the bank to
move its offices in 1892 to the Binondo district across the Pasig River.

The development of the sugar industry in the Philippines had opened up new potential
banking markets, and the bank petitioned Spain for permission to expand its operations. In
1897, Banco Español Filipino opened its first branch office, Iloilo. The outbreak of the
Spanish-American War the following year, however, changing the political situation in the
Philippines.

The Philippines became a U.S. possession following the Treaty of Paris of 1898. No longer
under Spanish domination, Banco Español Filipino transformed itself into a purely Filipino
institution. While the change in the company's name--authorized in 1907--came only in
1912, it nevertheless adopted the name of Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI). The Spanish
influence remained strong, however, and the bank became popularly known as Banco de las
Islas Filipinas. Also in 1912, the bank opened its second branch office, in Zamboanga.

BPI continued its money-issuing function during this period, although it was no longer the
exclusive issuer of Philippine pesos. With the creation of the Central Bank of the Philippines
in 1949, however, BPI lost its money-issuing privileges altogether. The now-independent
country began instituting a variety of banking reforms designed to stimulate the growth of
the banking system and the creation of new banks, particularly in rural areas. As part of
that process, BPI was converted to a private bank. In 1969, the bank's relationship with the
Ayala family and businesses strengthened after Ayala Corporation took a majority share in
BPI. At that point, BPI became the center of Ayala's banking and, later, insurance interests.

Under Ayala, BPI began an expansion campaign lasting into the next century that firmly
positioned it among the Philippines' top banks. Much of BPI's growth came through a stream
of acquisitions, starting in 1974 with its purchase of the Peoples Bank and Trust Company.
That acquisition significantly helped to build BPI's branch network.

Expansion and Diversification in the 1980s

In 1982, BPI began preparing for the deregulation of the Philippines' banking industry,
which enabled it to transform itself into an expanded commercial bank. As part of that
effort, BPI acquired Commercial Bank and Trust Company, which specialized in the middle
market, in 1981. The growing bank then moved to enter the investment banking field with
the purchase of Ayala Investment and Development Corporation in 1982. BPI's relationship
with Ayala also enabled it to add an international component that year when it took over
Ayala International Finance, based in Hong Kong. BPI made two more significant purchases
in 1982 when it acquired Philsec, boosting its new investment banking wing, and Makati
Leasing and Financing. The latter purchase helped strengthen its own leasing arm, which
was launched in 1980 and made BPI the first Philippine bank to offer leasing facilities.

BPI by then had expanded its operations into the Philippines rural areas after acquiring
People's Development Bank, which also held a strong, agribusiness-based loan portfolio, in
1984. That purchase enabled BPI to meet new government requirements stipulating that
agribusiness loans make up at least 20 percent of a bank's loan portfolio. The People's
Development Bank acquisition formed the basis of BPI's new subsidiary, BPI Agricultural
Bank.

BPI continued its acquisition burst into the mid-1980s. In 1985, the company added Family
Bank, at the time a major mortgage and savings bank in the Philippines. Renamed BPI
Family Bank, the new subsidiary grew into one of the country's leading consumer lending
banks. Also in 1985, BPI stepped up its international component with the purchase of Asian
International Bank, based in New York. That office was later converted into a full BPI
branch.

"Bancassurance" Leader in the New Century

Alongside its acquisition campaign, BPI displayed its penchant for playing the pioneer in
various banking areas during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1981, the bank became the
first in the country to offer access via Automated Teller Machines (ATM). Two years later,
BPI extended its ATM network to include its Express Teller system, the first in the country to
provide 24-hour access to banking services. Then, in 1987, the bank introduced the
Philippines first debit-card system.
BPI's next technological innovation came in 1991 when it introduced its Express Banking
Centers. Typically located in shopping malls, BPI's Express Banking Centers operated as
mini-banks providing a more limited range of services than full-service banks. Nonetheless,
customers were able to open new accounts as well as apply for credit cards and home and
car loans.

If BPI had taken a break from external growth, its competitors had not, and by the middle
of the 1990s the company had turned over its first-place spot to fast-growing Metropolitan
& Trust Corporation. BPI was then forced to content itself with a position in the top three,
alongside state-owned Philippine Nation Bank. Yet the opening of the Philippines banking
sector to foreign competition for the first time in the mid-1990s set off a new wave of
consolidation among the country's banking sector, which at the time counted 38 commercial
banks and some 800 rural credit houses.

BPI once again began to grow through acquisition, starting in 1995 with the purchase of
First Cavite Savings. The following year, the company struck again, adding CityTrust
Banking Corporation. That bank, a specialist consumer services bank, had been ranked
number 16 in terms of assets among Philippine banks. The acquisition of CityTrust boosted
BPI's branch network to more than 400.

BPI remained relatively stable despite the crisis sweeping through the Asian financial
community. By the end of the decade, the bank had completed integrating its newly
expanded operations and had begun to make plans for a new growth spurt. In 1998, the
bank launched a 24-hour call center providing a broad range of banking services over the
telephone.

The following year, BPI began talks for a three-way merger with two other prominent
Filipino banks, FarEast Bank and Trust Company and Union Bank. After Union Bank pulled
out of the proposed merger, BPI and FarEast went it alone and in November 1999 FarEast
agreed to be acquired by BPI for $1.2 billion. The merged operation now claimed--if only
temporarily--the top spot in the Philippines' banking sector. The Far East merger also gave
the company an insurance subsidiary, FEB Mitsui Marine.

BPI entered new territory in 2000 when it became the first Filipino bank to launch its own
online bank, BPI Direct. In that year, too, the bank showed its pioneering mettle again when
it acquired FGU Insurance Corporation, Universal Reinsurance Corporation, Ayala Life
Assurance, Ayala Health Care and Ayala Plans. These acquisitions gave BPI the right to label
itself as the Philippines' first "bancassurance" company. In 2001, FGU merged with FEB
Mitsui Marine, creating BPI/MS Insurance Corporation.

As consumer lending slowed amid the difficult economic climate at the beginning of the
2000s, BPI turned toward increasing its corporate lending operations, particularly to the
small and medium enterprise (SME) market. Insurance continued to play a central role in
BPI's growth strategy, particularly as the bank announced its intention to pursue more
insurance acquisitions at the end of 2002. As part of its focus on insurance products, BPI
spun off its re-insurance operations into a merger with Malayan Reinsurance Corporation,
forming Universal Malayan Reinsurance Corporation in August 2003.

By then, BPI had completed another significant purchase when it bought up DBS Bank
Philippines, which enabled the company's thrift banking component to claim the leadership
spot in the Philippines. BPI's banking arm now boasted more than 1,200 branch offices in
operation. The bank was also one of the most financially sound of all Philippine banks,
posting steady increases in its net earnings despite the Asian economic crisis that occurred
in the early 2000s. After more than 150 years in existence, BPI remained a top player in the
Philippines banking market.

Principal Subsidiaries: Ayala Financial and Insurance Services Inc.; Ayala Health Care Inc.;
Ayala Life Assurance Inc.; Ayala Plans, Inc.; BPI Capital Corporation; BPI Computer
Systems Corporation; BPI Direct Savings Bank; BPI Express Remittance Corporation; BPI
Family Savings Bank; BPI Forex Corporation; BPI Foundation, Inc.; BPI International
Finance, Ltd.; BPI Investment Management, Inc.; BPI Leasing Corporation; BPI Operations
Management Corporation; BPI Securities Corporation; BPI/MS Insurance Corporation;
Santiago Land Development Corporation; Universal Reinsurance Corporation.

Principal Competitors: Citibank; Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co.; Equitable-PCI Bank; Land
Bank of the Philippines; Philippine National Bank; Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation;
Development Bank of the Philippines; Allied Banking Corporation; United Coconut Planters
Bank; China Banking Corporation; Union Bank of the Philippines.

__________________________

Online Banking
Online Banking
Online Banking from Metro Bank gives you fast, simple and convenient control over
your money. Online banking is no charge and includes:

● Real-time Balances – View your accounts and loan balances.

● Account History – View checking and savings account history.
● Check Image – View the front and back of cleared checks.
● Transfer Funds – Set up scheduled or repeating transfers between
accounts.
● Secure Messaging – Send and receive secure communications from the
bank.
● Download History – Download account history.
Enroll

Bill Payment
After enrolling in Online Banking, you will have the option to add the bill pay feature
which allows you to pay recurring, occasional, and one-time bills from your computer 24
hours a day.

● Faster Payment – Some payees will receive payment days earlier.

● Easy Navigation – Your information is organized.
● Convenient Payment History – View your pending transactions or
payment history with just the click of a button.

E-Statements
An E-Statement is the same thing as a paper statement except it is available online.
When the statement is ready, an e-mail is sent notifying you that your E-Statement is
available through your Metro Bank online banking account.

E-Statement delivery allows you to receive your account information quickly and
securely. Your statements are available online for 12 months. However, you can save
your statements on your computer for long-time access. This convenient delivery
method expedites statement delivery, eliminates the hassle of storing any paper
statements, and provides you with a convenient, secure storage system. It also helps
the environment by reducing paper usage. (Go green!) No additional fees apply.

How to Enroll

Mobile Banking
Get your account information at your fingertips. Log on to mobile banking, using your
online banking User ID and password, through your cell phone and check balances,
transfer funds and more. It is easy to mange your finances on the go when you take
advantage of Metro Bank’s mobile banking. Mobile banking uses the web browser on
your cell phone so you can easily and securely:

● Check the available balance in your accounts.

● Transfer money between your accounts.
● View recent transactions.
We are proud to offer mobile banking to all of our customers. It is easy, fast, convenient
and offered at no charge*!

Navigate to http://metrobankpc.mobi on your cell phone’s web browser. Remember

to add this to your favorites for future use.

Activating Mobile Banking

*You will be charged internet access rates depending on your carrier. Web access is needed to use mobile
banking. Check with your service provider for details on specific fees and charges.

Metrobank, the second largest bank in the Philippines, provides its customers an alternative to its
over-the-counter banking transactions via the Metrobank Direct Online facility.
If you’re a Metrobank accountholder who’s considering to register for an online account, it’s good to
know what to expect of the bank’s electronic banking services.

Will you be in good hands with the Metrobank Direct online banking facility? Let’s find out.

NOTE: This is the third in a series of MoneyMax.ph articles that explore and probe deep into the
online banking experience provided by the leading banks in the Philippines.

Metrobank Direct Online Banking Enrollment

Who Can Enroll?

According to the bank’s FAQ section, customers with any of the following accounts with Metrobank
can register online:

● ATM card
● Credit card
● Debit card
● Prepaid card
However, on the Metrobank Direct Enrollment page, your only account option is the ATM card. This
means you can’t proceed with the online registration if your account doesn’t have an ATM card.

In that case, you can go to a Metrobank branch to enroll your non-ATM deposit account in
Metrobank Direct.

How is the Enrollment Experience?

You can complete your Metrobank Direct enrollment in one sitting without having to go to an ATM to
activate your online account. This makes it the easiest online banking enrollment process compared
to BDO and BPI, which require an ATM activation prior to online banking access.

To activate your Metrobank online banking account, you just need to enter a one-time password
(OTP), which is sent to your registered mobile number, in the activation email link.

Metrobank will let you know if your enrollment is approved, which means you can already log in to
your online account.

What Enrollment Issues Might Happen?

Possible security breach

When you fill out the Metrobank Direct enrollment form online, Metrobank will require you to enter
your ATM PIN. Yes, the PIN code that you enter each time you use an ATM.

Wait, aren’t we supposed to avoid providing confidential information like an ATM PIN? You might
wonder.

That’s a valid concern. Strange as it may seem, Metrobank needs this detail to verify a customer’s
enrollment. It’s also a required field. If you aren’t comfortable sharing your ATM PIN, you won’t
complete your online registration.

Metrobank has no statement explaining why customers need to enter their PIN during enrollment.
However, Metrobank uses a virtual or on-screen keyboard for the ATM PIN input. Compared to
using a computer’s keyboard, a virtual keyboard reduces the risk of hackers getting access to your
PIN. It somehow protects your personal data.

Activation error messages

You need to complete your Metrobank online banking activation within 20 minutes from the time you
clicked the link in the activation email. If you take longer than that, you’ll get a “session expired”
message. Once you do, you’ll have to redo everything from scratch.
You might also keep getting an “invalid temporary password” message while activating your online
account. This happens when you incorrectly enter the temporary password provided by the
activation email.

Metrobank Direct Online Banking Services

One of the most remarkable features of the Metrobank online banking portal is its demo page. It
works like a virtual tour of the entire system. Even if you don’t have an account yet, you can explore
it to get an idea of how Metrobank Direct works. This way, you’ll know right away whether or not this
e-banking facility can serve your needs.
Once you’ve gained access to your Metrobank Direct Online account, you can manage any of the
following accounts:

● ATM savings
● Peso checking
● Time deposit
● Foreign currency savings
● Credit card

Notable Online Banking Features

With Metrobank Direct Online, you can perform transactions such as accounts management, bills
payment, stock trading, and tax payment. You can’t reload mobile numbers and prepaid cards on the
desktop version, though reloading services are available in the Metrobank Mobile Banking app.

Although its online banking services aren’t as varied and comprehensive as those of BDO and BPI,
Metrobank Direct more than makes up for this limitation with its useful functionalities.

1. Credit Card Accounts Management

Metrobank makes it convenient for its credit cardholders to check their balance and credit card
statements. This is useful for those who receive their printed statements late. Metrobank credit card
application can also be done within the bank’s online banking system.

2. Pay Bills
Like other online banking services in the Philippines, Metrobank enables customers to pay bills
online. What makes it better from the rest, however, is that it eliminates the need to remember
different due dates.

Metrobank Direct users can choose either a one-time bills payment (and pre-schedule it as far as 90
days in advance) or a recurring bills payment that can be scheduled up to three years.

3. Transfer Funds

With the Metrobank online banking facility, you can transfer money to your own accounts and third-
party accounts, whether enrolled or not. You can also pre-schedule funds transfer up to 90 days
ahead or set to recur up to three years. Metrobank Direct allows money transfer only to Metrobank
accounts, though.

Metrobank charges services fees per money transfer:

 ● PHP 25 for Peso transfer from a Metro Manila branch to a provincial branch
● USD 1 for Dollar transfer within the same region
● USD 2 for Dollar transfer from a Metro Manila branch to a provincial branch or vice-versa

Unlike BPI that requires pre-enrollment of any third-party account prior to funds transfer, Metrobank
allows users to just enter the 13-digit account number without having to register the account.

This feature is convenient because you can easily send money to any account without having to
enroll it for funds transfer. But it also makes the system prone to online banking fraud. If a hacker
gains access to your online account, he can easily transfer funds to his Metrobank account without
your consent. Even if there’s a PHP 5,000 daily funds transfer limit, that can wipe out your account
when done every day.

4. Account Personalization

Metrobank Direct allows users to customize their homepage, so they can quickly access the service
they most often use.

For example, if you use the Metrobank online banking portal mainly for paying bills, you can set your
homepage to be the Pay Bills page. This will make it quicker for you to pay bills each time you use
your Metrobank Direct account.

The same goes for when you want easy access to the Transfer Funds, Credit Card Home, or View
Account Summary page.

Log-in Problems
Wtf! Dili lagi ko ka log in sa metrobankdirect? Wala nakoy cash. 🙄🙄

— mon mamon 🙄 (@monxxkie) Mayo 20, 2017

Sometimes, Metrobank customers can’t log in to their online account. This could be a browser-
related problem. To solve it, try to clear your browser cache and close all your browser windows.
You may also try using another browser if you can’t log in with your default browser.

If upon log-in, you get an error message that says your browser is unsupported, check your browser
if it’s compatible with the Metrobank online banking system.

Metrobank Direct supports the following browser versions:

● Google Chrome C17-C19

● Safari 5.1
● Mozilla Firefox 3.6-12
● Internet Explorer 7.0-10

Metrobank Direct Service Downtimes

Like other banks in the Philippines, Metrobank also conducts system maintenance and upgrade that
cause downtime of its online banking services.

Social media posts complaining about slowdown or unavailability of Metrobank Direct are few and
far between, though.

Anthony Robles@anthonyr0bles

May problem ba ang @MetroBank_Help online? Ang bagal. Due ng payment ko. Pakshet
kayo kapag di natransfer

2:29 PM - Ene 31, 2018

Info at pagkapribado ng Twitter Ads

Tingnan ang ibang mga Tweet ni Anthony Robles

Ida Bosita@idabosita

Naka down ba ang Metrobankdirect?

12:19 PM - Hul 3, 2017

Info at pagkapribado ng Twitter Ads

Tingnan ang ibang mga Tweet ni Ida Bosita

whattwat@pinoytwat

@mcc_in_action why is metrobankdirect always down?

4:12 PM - Ene 11, 2016

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Tingnan ang ibang mga Tweet ni whattwat

While system maintenance and update activities are necessary to ensure consistent service, a
downtime any time of the year is still a hassle. To avoid inconvenience, follow the bank’s social
media accounts so that you’ll know when its online banking service will be unavailable and transact
online in advance.

Metrobank Online Banking Security

The Metrobank website’s Security Center provides tips and instructions on what to do when your
online account is compromised.
Technology-wise, the bank’s security features aren’t lacking. Here are the most notable ones.
1. Website Encryption

Metrobank uses 128-bit Secured Socket Layer (SSL) encryption on all its online transactions to
prevent unauthorized access to personal data. This encryption method is considered one of the most
secure and unbreakable.
2. User Authentication

Aside from passwords, Metrobank uses Verisign digital certificates and a challenge-response
authentication technique to verify user identity, making sure that the user is authentic and
authorized.

3. Alerts and Notifications

The Metrobank online banking system can send you a notification via email and/or SMS each time a
transaction (e.g., bills payment, fund transfer, etc.) or request (e.g., edit personal information, apply
for credit card, etc.) is made on your account. This security feature can help you act immediately
should any unauthorized access or transaction happen.
To enable this feature, just go to Security Tools > Alerts & Notification and choose the items you
want to receive an alert on.

4. Automatic Log-out

If you leave your Metrobank Direct account idle or fail to log out after 20 minutes, the system will
automatically log out to prevent unauthorized access.

Reported Security Threats

Even with good online banking security features in place, many Metrobank Direct users still
experience security breach.

1. Email Phishing and Fake Log-in Website

Beware of any email purportedly from Metrobank telling you that your credit card or deposit account
has been blocked due to security reasons. It usually contains a link to a fake log-in site that looks
identical to the real Metrobank Direct site.

Once you log in to the fake website, it will ask you to update your bank details, including your credit
card number, expiration date, and security code. That’s a red flag that the site is a fraud.

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