The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) has received its first-ever Five Golden Arrow Award, the highest distinction under the Institute of Corporate Directors' (ICD) Golden Arrow Awards, in recognition of the bank's strong corporate governance practices and its alignment with regional and international standards.

The recognition is conferred on companies that attain the highest level of performance under the ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard (ACGS), a regional benchmark that assesses the governance practices and disclosures of publicly listed companies across Southeast Asian markets. BPI has steadily raised its governance standards since joining the ACGS in 2013, earning Three- and Four-Golden Arrow recognitions along the way before securing the top distinction in 2026 for its 2025 corporate governance performance and disclosures.

The milestone underscores the high level of trust that stakeholders place in BPI as it continues to uphold transparency, accountability, integrity, and ethical business conduct. For a bank, recognition of this kind carries particular weight: standardized governance assessments give market participants and other stakeholders a common reference point for how a financial institution handles accountability and disclosure — areas that underpin the confidence on which banking runs.

BPI President and CEO TG Limcaoco described the bank's first-ever Five Golden Arrow Award as a profound achievement, reflecting the dedication of its 23,000 employees to go beyond mere compliance with rules or standards.

“In many ways, this achievement embodies what we mean when we say ‘Do More’ at BPI: continuously challenging ourselves to do better, upholding higher standards, and striving for excellence,” Limcaoco said.

“After all, banking is fundamentally a business of trust. Our clients entrust us with their hard-earned money and their aspirations for the future. It is our responsibility to honor that trust through sound decisions, transparency, and integrity,” he added.

“For 175 years, this trust has been at the heart of everything we do. And in the years ahead, it will continue to guide us in pursuing banking excellence anchored on trust and building dreams for others — creating lasting value not just for our clients and shareholders, but for the communities and nation we serve. This award reflects our determination to keep raising the bar and never settle for the status quo.”

By maintaining high standards of transparency, accountability, and integrity, BPI continues to strengthen stakeholder confidence while supporting its mission of building a better Philippines — one family, one community at a time. With the award based on 2025 performance, BPI's disclosures in future ACGS assessment cycles will show whether the bank sustains the top rating — a continuation Limcaoco signaled, noting the institution intends to keep raising the bar rather than settle for the status quo.

The article was originally published by BusinessWorld on November 11, 2026: BPI achieves highest Five Golden Arrow Award, affirming leadership in corporate governance.