Previously capping loan terms at five years at most, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has moved to amend this rule, proposing a principles-based approach where loan length will be based on a comprehensive assessment of a borrower’s creditworthiness. Under a draft circular, which is...
The ceasefire-driven rally of Asian currencies, including the Philippine peso, may be short-lived as global oil risks linger, according to Singapore-based Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp. Ltd. (OCBC). In an April 9 report, OCBC Group Research foreign exchange (FX) strategists Sim Moh Siong and...
The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) is urging the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to deepen regional financial connectivity, positioning stronger and more integrated capital markets as a critical buffer against external shocks like the war in the Middle East. In a speech...
The jump in the March inflation rate has set the stage for a potential 50-basis-point (bp) rate hike by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) during the second quarter, according to global investment banking giant Goldman Sachs. In an April 7 report obtained by Manila Bulletin, Goldman Sachs...
The Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched a multi-partner fund aimed at financing critical project preparation for cross-border energy and transmission infrastructure in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), marking the first initiative of its kind in the region. The...
The World Bank approved another $600-million loan for the Philippines last Good Friday, April 3—this time to fund efforts to improve the country’s education system. In a statement published on Monday, April 6, the Washington-based multilateral lender said over 21 million K-10 students and...
Now a licensed architect, Metrobank Foundation–Boysen scholar Rheanna Yzabelle R. De Guzman reflects on how steady support and determination lead to success. She describes her journey as a “full circle” moment—from dreaming about the profession to officially becoming part of it. Her...
State-run pension fund Social Security System (SSS) has partnered with EastWest Rural Bank (EWRB) to expand access to MySSS Card, making it easier for members—especially those in remote and underserved communities—to access banking services and receive benefits. Under the partnership, EWRB...
As the Malampaya gas field slowly taps out and diplomacy trades hot words for cautious handshakes, the real suspense lies not just in geopolitical compromise, but in whether Recto Bank can finally proceed to well drilling or remain a perpetually well-discussed daydream. The lingering conflict in...
The Philippines is facing an inflationary shock that could spill over to slower economic growth, potential job losses, and more capital market outflows amid a prolonged Middle East conflict, according to the World Bank. The global oil price and supply shock wrought by the war in Iran would “raise...
If the war in the Middle East prolongs and global oil prices continue to skyrocket, the Philippine peso could breach the ₱61:$1 level in the second quarter of 2026 and even hit as low as ₱62 to ₱64 against the United States (US) dollar. “Our base case forecasts for the US dollar-Philippine...
The Philippine economy is currently in a strange, uncomfortable middle ground. While the numbers for the early part of the year looked okay on paper, the experience at the grocery store or the gas station today feels very different. Interest rates are holding steady at high levels, the peso is...
