Banking & Finance

The Philippines secured over $6 billion in financing and co-financing support from the Asian Development Bank last year, underscoring continued multilateral backing for key infrastructure, social protection, and resilience programs. According to the ADB’s Annual Report 2025 released Thursday, the country received $4.1 billion in loans and grants from the Manila-based lender, alongside $2.6 billion in co-financing arrangements. Major allocations …

Insured deposits in the Philippine banking system surged to ₱5.2 trillion last year, reflecting stronger depositor protection and growing confidence in the financial sector, the state deposit insurer said. The Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation reported that the total rose by 40.9 percent from ₱3.7 trillion in 2024, marking a significant expansion of the country’s financial safety net. A key driver …

The Philippine banking system posted stronger asset growth in February, reflecting continued expansion in lending activity and steady investor confidence, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Latest figures showed total banking assets reached ₱29.19 trillion in February, up 8.3 percent from ₱26.95 trillion a year earlier. The total was also slightly higher than the ₱29.11 trillion recorded …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) welcomes Moody’s favorable assessment of the country’s banking system and external accounts.  BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. said, “We welcome Moody’s positive assessment. It confirms what we have been seeing: our banks are strong, and our external buffers are solid. At the BSP, we will continue to safeguard financial stability through sound regulations …

The March 2026 inflation of 4.1 percent settled higher than the BSP’s announced forecast range of 3.1 to 3.9 percent, highlighting the upside inflation risks emanating from the global oil price shock. This was largely driven by higher transport-related costs following the sharp increase in domestic fuel prices, alongside higher prices of key food items, particularly rice. The inflation risk …

The country’s external financial position remains stable even after a month-on-month decline in foreign reserves, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Latest preliminary data released last week showed that gross international reserves (GIR) stood at $107.5 billion in March, down from $113.3 billion in February. The GIR is composed of foreign-denominated securities, foreign exchange holdings, gold assets, and …

The national government posted a slightly narrower budget deficit in February, supported by stronger revenue collections that outpaced spending growth, according to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr). Latest cash operations data showed the deficit eased to ₱171.2 billion in February, marginally lower than the ₱171.4 billion recorded in the same month last year. This brought the year-to-date fiscal gap …

The Philippines has secured a $600-million financing package from the World Bank to strengthen foundational skills in reading, literacy, and mathematics among public school students. The program, known as the Project for Learning Upgrade Support and Decentralization (PLUS-D), will be implemented by the Department of Education and is expected to benefit around 21 million learners from kindergarten to Grade 10, …

Credit activity in the country’s financial system continued to expand in February, with domestic lending growing at a slightly faster pace, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). Latest data showed outstanding loans from domestic banks rose 9.5 percent in February, up from 9.3 percent in January, reflecting steady credit demand across key sectors of the economy. Loans to …

The Philippine National Bank (PNB) has obtained regulatory approval to host outreach and assistance services for Filipino workers in Japan, allowing key government agencies to engage directly with overseas Filipinos within its branch facilities. Under the arrangement, the Social Security System (SSS) and the Pag-IBIG Fund will conduct client assistance, information, and orientation sessions at PNB’s Tokyo and Nagoya branches. …