Banking & Finance

The Philippines’ foreign currency stash dipped slightly in July — but the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) assures it remains more than enough to shield the country from external economic shocks. Data released Thursday showed the country’s gross international reserves (GIR) stood at USD105.7 billion last month, a marginal decrease from the USD106 billion recorded at the end of June. …

Philippine National Bank (PSE: PNB) has teamed up with Japan’s Digital Wallet Corporation (DWC) — the brains behind the popular Smiles mobile remittance platform — to strengthen its international money transfer services for Filipinos worldwide. The strategic partnership, formalized on July 3, 2025, aims to make remittances faster, more affordable, and more accessible, especially for overseas Filipinos in Japan. “At …

In a move that advances inclusive education and social responsibility, LANDBANK and the University of the Philippines (UP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on August 1, 2025, to roll out employee-funded scholarships, faculty development grants, and digital banking services across UP campuses. At the heart of the partnership is LANDBANK’s support for UP’s LINGAP-ISKOLAR Program, which will provide scholarships …

The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) is riding high on the momentum of strong consumer lending in the first half of 2025, fueling optimism for sustained income growth through year-end. BPI reported a 7.8 percent increase in net income, reaching P33 billion, driven largely by rising consumer loan demand and higher net interest income. In a media briefing on …

In a major boost to the country’s disaster preparedness, the World Bank is lending $700 million to help strengthen the climate and disaster resilience of 18 million Filipino households through a community-driven project that puts vulnerable communities at the forefront of risk planning and response. The funding is part of the $874.35 million Philippines Community Resilience Project, a joint undertaking …

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has raised its 2026 economic growth forecast for the Philippines, signaling continued confidence in the country’s resilience and reform-driven momentum. In its latest World Economic Outlook report, the IMF now expects the Philippine economy to grow by 5.9 percent in 2026, slightly higher than its previous forecast of 5.8 percent.  For 2025, the country’s gross …

Filipinos can now invest in government securities using their GCash mobile wallets, thanks to a new platform launched by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) in partnership with GCash, PDAX, and Bonds.ph. The platform, called GBonds, allows users to purchase Treasury bills (T-bills) for as low as P500, with no fees for top-ups and withdrawals and standard rates for buying …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) have joined forces to reinforce the safety and resilience of the country’s key financial market systems. Through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed at the BSP office, the two institutions committed to safeguarding interconnected platforms such as the BSP’s Peso real-time gross settlement system (PhilPaSSplus) and the …

BDO Unibank Inc. reaffirmed its support for foreign investors by welcoming members of the Kyoto Employers Association (KEA) during their first official business mission to the Philippines. Held at BDO’s Makati headquarters, the visit was organized in partnership with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Osaka. The Japanese delegation, composed of KEA’s next-generation leaders aged 50 and below, represented …

Philippine National Bank (PNB) has once again earned international recognition after being named Best Bank for Investment Research in the Philippines at the Euromoney Private Banking Awards 2025. This marks the bank’s fifth consecutive win in the category since 2021. “This award further underscores our dedication to provide dependable insights to our stakeholders,” said Executive Vice President Francis Albalate, PNB’s …