Banking & Finance

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), through its financing arm Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), has disbursed a total of P4.22 million in loans to 24 women entrepreneurs under the Women’s Enterprise Fund (WEF), aimed at empowering women-owned small businesses across the country. The initial batch of recipients will use the loans to start or expand their ventures, including variety …

The share of non-performing loans (NPLs) in the Philippine banking system slightly declined in May 2025, signaling early signs of improving credit conditions, according to data released Friday by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The NPL ratio eased to 3.38% in May, down from 3.39% in April and notably lower than the 3.57% recorded in the same month last …

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the Philippines rose by 7.1% year-on-year in April 2025, reaching USD610 million from USD570 million a year earlier, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Thursday. The increase was driven primarily by higher investments in debt instruments by non-resident investors, which surged by 24.3% to USD522 million from USD420 million in April 2024. …

The FinTech Alliance Philippines has thrown its full support behind the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) enhanced regulatory framework aimed at promoting the responsible use of digital financial services in licensed online gaming platforms. In a statement, FinTech Alliance founding chair Lito Villanueva acknowledged the growing concerns from the public and various sectors about the potential social risks of online …

Eight rural banks will soon pioneer SynerFi, an open payments platform operated by tech firm higala.ph, with 12 more expected to join later this year—advancing the government’s goal of expanding digital financial services to underserved communities. The early adopters of SynerFi include Rural Bank of San Antonio, Inc. (Southern Luzon); Rural Bank of Lipa City (Batangas), Inc.; Progressive Rural Bank, …

The Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation has remitted a record-breaking P8.96 billion in dividends to the national government, the Department of Finance (DOF) announced. In a statement last week, the DOF said Finance Secretary Ralph Recto formally received the remittance during a ceremonial turnover held Monday at the DOF office in Manila. “We will make sure every …

Foreign-currency-denominated loans extended by banks dipped by 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2025, according to data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). The BSP reported last week that outstanding loans issued by banks’ Foreign Currency Deposit Units (FCDUs) stood at USD15.78 billion in Q1 2025, slightly down from USD15.82 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024. …

BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO) has teamed up with ACEN, the Ayala group’s listed energy platform, to finance what will become the largest onshore wind power project in the Philippines. The project is poised to supply clean and reliable energy to the Luzon grid, cut carbon emissions, and create jobs in host communities. It also marks a major step in ACEN’s …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is addressing the risk of users of online gambling on digital platforms, in line with BSP’s financial consumer protection agenda and financial health goals. BSP has released a draft of a circular for review and feedback by different stakeholders. The circular proposed to require BSP-supervised institutions (BSIs) – primarily banks and electronic money issuers …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) launched last July 3, 2025 a book series, The Governors Speak, featuring select speeches of former governors of the Philippine central bank. The Governors Speak offers a unique perspective on the transformation of central banking in the Philippines through the words of former governors. The series provides insights into the Bank’s evolving role during …