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Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) has retained its title as the Philippines’ strongest bank for the sixth consecutive year, according to financial research and intelligence provider The Asian Banker.

The recognition forms part of The Asian Banker’s annual ranking of the world’s 1,000 largest and strongest banks, which evaluates financial institutions based on their balance sheet strength, profitability, asset quality, liquidity and risk management.

The ranking assesses banks’ financial health and resilience, including their ability to absorb potential losses and maintain stable operations during challenging economic conditions.

‘Our strength comes from the trust our customers place in us and the dedication of our Metrobankers, who remain committed to delivering financial solutions that help our clients succeed in different market conditions,’ Metrobank president Fabian Dee said.

‘This recognition reflects how we continue to grow stronger together with our clients, communities and partners through every challenge and opportunity,’ Dee added.

The recognition comes as Metrobank continues to report solid financial results, with net income reaching P24.9 billion in the first half.

The bank’s nonperforming loan ratio stood at 1.8 percent, significantly below the banking industry’s average of 3.4 percent. Metrobank also maintained an NPL coverage ratio of 133.3 percent.

Senate committee on public services chairman Sen. Raffy Tulfo has urged agencies to ensure the safety of millions of people expected to travel to their provinces during the Undas holiday, calling for stricter inspections of public utility vehicles and tighter security at airports and seaports.

During a recent committee hearing, Tulfo directed the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to ensure that passenger buses are roadworthy before being allowed to operate.

Inspections should cover properly functioning brakes, worn-out tires and drug testing for drivers, while colorum buses should be prohibited from operating, he said.

‘Even when it is not Undas, the LTO should still conduct regular inspections,’ Tulfo said.

He also raised concerns about airport security, with more than 1.25 million passengers expected to travel during Undas 2026.

He cited the robbery of French national Anthony Boukhors, who lost luxury watches at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, where some closed-circuit television cameras were reportedly not operational.

Tulfo called for all CCTV cameras to be working before the holiday rush and for adequate security personnel to be deployed throughout airport premises to respond promptly to incidents and deter criminals.

The senator also urged the Maritime Industry Authority, Philippine Ports Authority and Philippine Coast Guard to ensure that vessels comply with safety standards before sailing, including sufficient life jackets, passenger capacity limits, proper cargo weight limits and accurate passenger manifests.

‘No life should be lost due to negligence,’ he stressed.

President Marcos orders safety measures

President Marcos has ordered government agencies to ensure the safety and convenience of Filipinos traveling to their provinces and visiting cemeteries to observe All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

‘This Undas, many of our fellow Filipinos will go home to their respective provinces and visit cemeteries to remember and pray for their loved ones. We are ensuring that their travel and visit will be safe, smooth, and convenient,’ Marcos said in a video message on Friday.

According to the Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX), more than one million passengers have passed through the landport ahead of the Undas weekend.

Between Oct. 25 and 29, the terminal recorded 931,225 passengers. Another 137,807 were added as of 5 p.m. on Friday, for a total of 1,069,032.

PITX projects 1.9 million passengers from Oct. 25 to Nov. 4, down from the 2.1 million recorded last year.

The President said the government was ensuring that Filipinos would have safe, orderly and convenient trips during the observance.

The Maritime Industry Authority has issued relaxation orders and special permits allowing flexible shipping schedules and additional ferry trips from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3 to accommodate increased passenger demand on selected routes.

Likewise, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board has also issued more than 1,000 special permits for additional bus trips, while the Department of Transportation and its attached agencies are inspecting airports, seaports and bus terminals.

Marcos said 24-hour help desks are available at major transport terminals from Oct. 29 to Nov. 3.

Airport immigration counters will also have enough personnel on duty from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3 to prevent long lines, with digital systems such as eGates to be used to speed up processing.

He also directed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to deploy personnel to cemeteries and columbaria to maintain peace and order.

In response, the PNP has tightened security at cemeteries, memorial parks and transport hubs nationwide, deploying more than 141,000 police officers and force multipliers to secure 5,311 cemeteries and columbaria, major thoroughfares, transportation hubs, places of worship, tourist destinations and other areas where people are expected to gather.

‘We will ensure that our personnel remain visible, approachable, and ready to respond to every request for assistance, especially from children, senior citizens and other vulnerable individuals,’ PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.

The PNP will remain on full alert until Nov. 3.

Church: Treat ashes with respect

As Filipinos prepare to visit their departed loved ones, Catholic Church officials reminded the public to treat cremated remains with respect and follow Church guidelines on their proper disposition.

Taytay, Palawan Bishop Broderick Pabillo warned against taking portions of a loved one’s ashes to make necklaces or other personal mementos, saying families should respect the integrity of the remains.

‘We should respect the integrity of the deceased… ‘I’ll take some parts of the ashes’ – that’s not right. It’s like we’re cutting parts of the body,’ Pabillo said in an interview with Radyo Veritas.

He encouraged families visiting cemeteries on Nov. 1, which falls on a Sunday this year, to pray and attend mass together, saying the observance also offers an opportunity for families and relatives to reunite.

‘I hope we can strengthen this even more through our collective prayers, especially this year, Nov. 1 is a Sunday, let’s go to church,’ he said.

The Archdiocese of Manila has also issued guidelines on the proper treatment of cremated remains as part of the observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

In Circular 2026-100, the Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission provided prayers for the departed in English and Filipino that may be used at home or when visiting cemeteries and columbaria.

The guidelines aim to deepen the faithful’s understanding of Church teachings and foster respect for the remains of departed loved ones in keeping with Christian belief.

The country’s outstanding debt ballooned to another record high of P19.66 trillion as of end-September, due to issuance of government securities and peso depreciation against the dollar.

Data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed that the national debt inched up by 0.3 percent in end-September to eclipse the previous all-time high of P19.61 trillion in August.

On a year-on-year basis, the debt stock picked up further by 12.6 percent from the P17.46 trillion recorded a year ago.

The outstanding debt was equivalent to 99.5 percent of the government’s projected P19.77-trillion debt stock by the end of 2026.

For September alone, the government’s debt stock increased by P53.47 billion from the previous month.

Treasury data showed the current debt pile is now mostly made up of domestic debt with a 67.4-percent share, while external obligations accounted for 32.6 percent.

Domestic debt inched up by 0.07 percent to P13.25 trillion in end-September from P13.24 trillion in end-August.

‘The increase was mainly due to the P7.66 billion net issuance of government securities, while peso depreciation against the dollar added P1.12 billion to the value of onshore dollar bonds,’ the BTr said.

The peso weakened against the dollar to 62.601 as of end-September from 62.209 as of end-August, the BTr said.

Domestic debt also increased by 10.7 percent from P11.97 trillion in September 2025.

Total external obligations likewise increased by 0.7 percent to P6.41 trillion as of end-September from P6.37 trillion in end-August. The amount was nearly 17 percent higher than the P5.48 trillion booked in September 2025.

‘The increase was mainly attributable to the P40.12 billion increase in the peso value of foreign-currency denominated debt due to peso depreciation against the dollar and the P9.27 billion net availment of external loans,’ the Treasury said.

The Cebu City Government has started releasing fuel subsidy assistance to qualified transport drivers on Friday, October 30, months after approving the program and launching a validation process to weed out ineligible beneficiaries.

Initial payroll records released by City Hall showed that payouts had been scheduled for drivers from several barangays and transport groups.

Among the first batches were 104 qualified beneficiaries under the Habal-Habal Fuel Subsidy program in Barangay Sinsin, with a total allocation of P260,000; 109 beneficiaries from Barangay Cambinocot with P272,500; 98 from Sudlon 2 with P245,000; and 43 from Tabunan with P107,500.

The four barangays accounted for a combined payout of P885,000, with each beneficiary receiving P2,500 in cash.

Another batch covered drivers from Barangays Cogon Ramos, Sto. Niño, San Antonio and Sta. Cruz, involving 111 beneficiaries and a total allocation of P272,500.

The payouts mark the long-awaited implementation of the city’s P35-million fuel subsidy program, which aims to cushion transport workers from the impact of rising fuel prices.

The program faced repeated delays after city officials found discrepancies in the initial list of applicants.

The number of applicants had ballooned from about 10,000 to roughly 35,000, prompting City Hall to conduct a thorough revalidation to ensure that only legitimate transport workers would receive assistance.

Mayor Nestor Archival subsequently ordered stricter verification of beneficiaries, requiring applicants to submit supporting documents and certifications before they could be included in the final payroll.

The city government removed duplicate, questionable and ineligible entries from the master list before releasing the funds. The P35-million subsidy was earlier allocated through Supplemental Budget No. 1.

Qualified beneficiaries also include drivers of public utility vehicles, modern jeepneys, taxis and habal-habal operators who meet the requirements set under an executive order issued by Archival.

Officials earlier said applicants must be registered voters of Cebu City, hold valid driver’s licenses and certify that they have not received similar fuel assistance through another government program.