Banking & Finance

East West Banking Corporation (EastWest Bank) expects low- to mid-teen growth in assets and loans this year, building on strong performance in 2025. While full-year results for last year are yet to be released, the bank reported that as of end-October, net income rose 14 percent to ₱6.6 billion, revenues grew 16 percent to ₱37.3 billion, and consumer lending increased …

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Thursday said its monetary easing cycle is “nearing its end,” as domestic demand is expected to improve following a series of policy rate cuts since 2024. January inflation rose to 2 percent from 1.8 percent in December 2025, remaining at the lower end of the government’s 2–4 percent target and within the BSP’s …

The Philippine government’s total liabilities reached ₱17.71 trillion at the end of 2025, up 10.3 percent from ₱16.05 trillion at the close of 2024, as authorities emphasized that the debt portfolio remains resilient with the bulk sourced domestically. Data from the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed domestic creditors accounted for 68.4 percent of the total, or ₱12.12 trillion, while …

Security Bank Corporation (PSE: SECB) has partnered with the Philippine Retirement Authority (PRA) to provide foreign and returning Filipino retirees applying for the Special Resident Retiree’s Visa (SRRV) with priority banking, exclusive Time Deposit rates, and enhanced account services. Under the partnership, SRRV applicants can open Security Bank accounts as part of the SRRV process and enjoy premium onboarding support, …

SEN. Joel Villanueva on Wednesday filed a bill aiming to lift some restrictions in the country’s existing bank secrecy law to enable “measured“ transparency and fight corruption. Senate Bill 1728 seeks to “modernize a legal framework that has remained virtually untouched for more than seven decades.“ Senator Villanueva declared in Senate: “For over seventy years, the Philippines has maintained one …

Cocolife will soon extend its emergency insurance services to Grab Philippines and its motorcycle taxi arm Move It. In an announcement,  Grab and Move It said that under their expanded emergency insurance framework with Cocolife, rider-partners and passengers gain 24/7 access to a wider network of more than 700 Cocolife-accredited hospitals nationwide for emergency situations involving its booked ride. Under …

Great things are moving at LANDBANK. The bank  has partnered with the Social Security System (SSS) to launch a microloan facility through the bank’s mobile platform. The SSS Loan Lite Program allows members to apply for loans digitally via the LANDBANK app, with automated eligibility checks, streamlined processing and rapid crediting of proceeds. “This new product clearly is something that …

Insurance Commission (IC) Commissioner Reynaldo Regalado is calling for a stronger push toward microinsurance as a way to bring insurance protection closer to millions of Filipinos who remain outside the formal financial system. Speaking on Friday, Regalado underscored the role of microinsurance in widening access to coverage, noting that the product is specifically designed to meet the risk-protection needs of …

The government has provided guarantees to nearly P640 billion in loans as of December 2025, as Philippine Guarantee Corp. (PhilGuarantee) ramped up efforts to strengthen lending to priority sectors and support inclusive and sustainable economic growth. In a statement, PhilGuarantee said its partnerships with 200 lending institutions have enabled P639.58 billion in cumulative guaranteed loans since 2019, helping expand access …

Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC) is planning to offer peso-denominated bonds that could fund sustainable initiatives. The bank is looking to issue fixed-rate papers that will be drawn down from its P200-billion bond and commercial paper program, it said in a disclosure to the stock exchange on Thursday. In 2022, RCBC doubled the size of its bond program from the …