Senator Joel Villanueva has called on banks to strictly implement the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) decision on waiving digital fund transfer fees alongside its loan relief measures for borrowers hit by the ongoing energy crisis. Villanueva, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks,...
To manage risks tied to the growing Peso Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) payment system, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is drafting a policy to establish formal governance for stricter handling of member banks and nonbanks. According to the 2025 Peso RTGS Payment System Report published...
While the oil-induced inflation spike in the Philippines is raising concerns, think tank Capital Economics expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to keep key interest rates steady for the rest of the year. In an April 15 report, Capital Economics chief emerging markets (EMs) economist...
Pockets of extreme tightness in refined fuel supply across Asia are emerging as a major constraint on growth, with the Philippines among the most exposed economies, according to think tank Oxford Economics. In report last Wednesday, April 15, Oxford Economics senior economist Sheana Yue warned that...
Filipinos are caught in a financial trap, increasingly forced to borrow money for food and basic needs despite their deep cultural dislike of debt, according to the latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) report that highlighted growing strain on household finances. The 2025 Consumer Finance and...
Philippine banks face a potential surge in sour loans as escalating tensions in the Middle East threaten to disrupt the domestic economy and weaken the repayment capacity of households, according to S&P Global Ratings. Nikita Anand, S&P Global Ratings director and lead analyst for South and...
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...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is opening the door for banks to seek regulatory relief as the government scrambles to cushion the economy from energy supply shocks and surging fuel costs sparked by escalating Middle East tensions. This announcement, approved under Monetary Board Resolution...
Stagflationary pressures are building in the Philippines as swift and pronounced spillovers from the Middle East conflict prompt the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to slash its growth forecast while anticipating above-target inflation. According to the IMF’s April 2026 World Economic Outlook...
Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Philippine financial intelligence unit, has entered a new chapter with the appointment of Ronel Buenaventura as its new executive director, succeeding Matthew David. Buenaventura takes the helm of AMLC at a time when the agency continues to deepen...
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) saw its full-year net income climb to ₱130.1 billion in 2025, a 10.3 percent increase from the previous year, as the sharp reduction in interest expenses and robust foreign-exchange gains offset a decline in total revenue. According to preliminary, unaudited...
The collapse of peace talks between the United States (US) and Iran over the weekend could hurt semiconductor manufacturers in Asia, including the Philippines, according to British banking giant Barclays. “A prolonged energy disruption could lead to a tail-risk scenario that hits semiconductor...
