Banking & Finance

The national government’s total outstanding debt continued its slight decline, settling at ₱17.46 trillion as of end-September 2025, down from ₱17.47 trillion in August, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr). In a statement Thursday, the BTr said the marginal decrease reflected the government’s “sound fiscal discipline, strategic borrowing strategy, and proactive liability management,” supported by stable market conditions …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects inflation in October to settle between 1.4 percent and 2.2 percent, driven by higher prices of rice, fish, vegetables, electricity, and the peso’s depreciation. In a statement Thursday, the BSP said these upward pressures may be partly offset by lower prices of oil, meat, and fruits. “Going forward, the BSP will continue to …

The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has expressed renewed commitment to support the Philippines’ energy-sector initiatives as the country seeks to meet growing demand and position itself as a regional energy player. In an interview on the sidelines of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) on Wednesday, ADB Senior Director for Energy Priyantha Wijayatunga said the bank is looking to …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has amended the rules governing Islamic Banking Units (IBUs) to attract more players and strengthen the country’s Islamic finance industry. In a statement last week, the BSP clarified that IBUs will no longer be required to maintain separate capital since they operate as divisions or departments within conventional banks, even while observing Shari’ah principles …

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) successfully raised ₱35 billion from its dual-tranche Treasury bond (T-bond) offering on Tuesday, reflecting strong investor demand for government securities. The Auction Committee made a full award of the reissued seven-year and 25-year T-bonds. The reissued seven-year T-bond, which has a remaining term of six years and 10 months, fetched an average rate of …

LANDBANK reaffirmed its commitment to disaster response by providing ₱3.2 million in financial aid and ₱3.1 million worth of relief packs to earthquake-hit communities in Davao Oriental and Cebu on October 23, 2025. Finance Secretary and LANDBANK Chairman Ralph G. Recto and President and CEO Lynette V. Ortiz led the simultaneous relief operations. Ortiz said the Bank remains “steadfast in …

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) marked another milestone with the opening of BPI Wealth Singapore, a wholly owned subsidiary located in Marina Bay.  The new office strengthens BPI’s presence in Asia and connects Filipino and regional clients to one of the world’s leading financial hubs. The launch gathered top officials from the Philippines and Singapore, led by BPI …

Money sent home by overseas Filipinos (OFs) continued to climb, rising by 3.2 percent in August 2025 to USD2.98 billion from USD2.89 billion in the same month last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Wednesday. Remittances from land-based workers reached USD2.35 billion, while those from sea-based Filipinos totaled USD626 million. The sustained inflows brought total cash remittances for …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is carefully studying a proposal to demonetize the ₱500 and ₱1,000 bills to curb their alleged use in illegal activities, Governor Eli Remolona said last week. Remolona described the suggestion from former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima as a “tantalizing proposal,” but warned that such a move could cause more harm than good. “It’s not …

BDO Unibank Inc.’s (BDO) BDO Kabayan Facebook Page received recognition at the 21st Philippine Quill Awards for excellence in Social Media Strategy. The award highlights BDO’s Alagang Kabayan advocacy—providing accurate, timely, and relevant financial advice and updates that help overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their families manage daily transactions and achieve long-term goals. “We built BDO Kabayan Facebook Page to be …