Private sector economists are split over whether the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will raise interest rates this week, as the need to anchor inflation expectations and defend the peso battles concerns over the fragile economic recovery. Of 10 economists surveyed, five expect a 25-basis-point...
Developing economies including the Philippines are pressing the World Bank Group (WBG) to help reduce borrowing costs as the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict drives up oil prices, disrupts supply chains, and threatens growth and food security. In an April 16 statement delivered before...
State-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has signed agreements with two government agencies aimed at strengthening socio-economic initiatives including enhancing agricultural productivity and food production in the Mindanao region, a top official said. DBP President and Chief Executive...
Multilateral development banks (MDBs) are stepping up coordination to cushion economies from the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict, citing rising energy costs, supply chain disruptions, and tighter financial conditions as immediate risks to growth and stability. In an April 17 joint...
Monetary authorities in the Philippines and Vietnam are seen leading the hawkish camp in tightening policy as consumer prices in the Philippines risk absorbing sustained elevated costs arising from the Middle East conflict. “Should energy prices remain elevated, the Philippines and Vietnam are...
Eight Philippine lenders have secured spots on the World’s Best Banks 2026 list compiled by Forbes and Statista, a ranking where agile digital-native banks claimed the top positions even as traditional giants maintained their edge in trustworthiness among Filipino depositors. MariBank Philippines...
The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank (WB), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have, one after another, downgraded the country’s growth projections. This is largely due to the devastating effects of the ongoing Middle East conflict. These multilateral financial institutions...
Detainee-turned-witness Ramil Madriaga 's signing of a waiver on his bank secrecy rights marks a crucial point in the impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte. According to Manila 3rd district Rep. Joel Chua, Madriaga 's bank secrecy waiver will allow the House...
Money sent home by overseas Filipinos (OFs) fell to $2.79 billion in February, marking the lowest level in nine months, just before Middle East tensions erupted, which could further reduce remittances. Remittance inflows, which dipped to their lowest since May 2025 at $2.66 billion, reflect a...
Not only the Philippines’ vulnerability to global oil price and supply shocks amid the Middle East war but also domestic political instability has pulled the peso down to record-low levels, according to Singapore-based DBS Bank Ltd. “The Indian rupee, Indonesian rupiah, and Philippine peso have...
International Finance Corp. (IFC), the private-sector lending arm of the World Bank Group (WBG), will invest up to $25 million in a structured debt fund that will finance financial technology (fintech) companies, including those operating in the Philippines. In an April 13 disclosure, IFC said its...
Moody’s Ratings affirmed the long-term deposit ratings of three major Philippine lenders, shifting its outlook on Security Bank Corp. to stable as capital pressures ease following the sharp slowdown in credit expansion. The global debt watcher kept the "Baa2" ratings—consistent with the...
