Banking & Finance

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. emphasized the need for strong partnerships with stakeholders to enhance the security, accessibility, and simplicity of the country’s digital financial ecosystem. Speaking recently, Remolona highlighted the importance of ensuring a safer digital space, citing the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act (AFASA), which aims to combat fraud, scams, and fake accounts. The law’s …

The Philippines’ balance of payments (BOP) swung to a surplus of $3.1 billion in February 2025, marking its highest level in five months, according to data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) recently. This surplus marks a sharp turnaround from the $196 million deficit recorded in the same month last year and is the biggest since the $3.52 …

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) successfully raised P30.8 billion from its Treasury bill (T-bill) auction last week, surpassing the initial P22 billion offer due to strong investor demand. According to the BTr, total bids reached P118.9 billion, making the auction 5.4 times oversubscribed. This prompted the Auction Committee to double the accepted non-competitive bids for the 91-day and 182-day …

The Philippine banking sector saw significant growth in total assets, increasing by 9.3% year-on-year to P27.11 trillion as of January, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). This marks a notable rise from P24.81 trillion recorded in the same period last year. Industry experts attribute this growth to the strong profitability of Philippine banks, which have consistently …

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the viability rating (VR) of state-owned Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) from ‘bb’ to ‘bb+’, citing the bank’s strong financial standing and resilience. In its latest assessment, Fitch also reaffirmed LandBank’s long-term issuer default rating (IDR) at ‘BBB’/Stable and its Government Support Rating (GSR) at ‘bbb’.  The rating agency highlighted the bank’s systemic importance, full …

The World Bank (WB) has approved two major projects aimed at enhancing transport connectivity and healthcare services in Mindanao and other low-capacity provinces across the Philippines, benefiting at least 19 million Filipinos.  WB Country Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam Zafer Mustafaoğlu emphasized the bank’s commitment to supporting the Philippines’ inclusive growth and its aspiration to become an …

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Eli Remolona Jr. expects the Monetary Board “to cut a few more times” this year, noting that a reduction is “on the table” during next month’s policy meeting. Speaking to reporters last week, he said the MB remains in an easing cycle but emphasized that the timing and magnitude of rate cuts will depend …

Total external debt (EDT), or borrowings owed by residents to non-residents, stood at US$137.63 billion as of end-December 2024, down by US$2.02 billion (or 1.4 percent) from the US$139.64 billion level as of end-September 2024.  The external debt ratio (EDT expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product) remains at a prudent level, falling to 29.8 percent from 30.6 percent …

The World Bank (WB) is set to extend $2.75 billion in loans to the Philippines for fiscal year 2026, reflecting a 3.7 percent decrease from the $2.857 billion allocated for 2025.  Despite the reduction, the lending program highlights the WB’s sustained commitment to supporting the country’s development efforts. WB Director for the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei Zafer Mustafaoğlu confirmed that …

Bank lending in the Philippines surged by nearly 13 percent in January, marking its highest growth rate since December 2022, while domestic liquidity also continued to expand, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Preliminary BSP data released Thursday showed that loans extended by universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) grew by 12.8 percent in January, surpassing the …