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Philippines articles

Each article lists when we published it and the date of the latest data it uses.

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Published 13 Nov 2026Data as of 10 Nov 2026 RegulationBSP keeps the credit card finance charge cap at 3% a month and raises instalment and cash-advance ceilingsBSP Circular 1242, issued on 10 November, keeps the ceiling on finance charges for unpaid credit card balances at 3% a month, unchanged…
Published 12 Nov 2026Data as of 9 Nov 2026 CreditPhilippine bankers expect slower loan growth; consumer-heavy UnionBank reports a 6.56% gross NPL ratioThe president of the Bankers Association of the Philippines said loan growth will probably slow, citing weak demand…
Published 11 Nov 2026Data as of 6 Nov 2026 CreditBSP says unsecured consumer loans show strain as earlier vintages mature; consumer NPLs up 19.6%The BSP's first-semester 2026 financial system report says pressure in some unsecured consumer portfolios is rising as loans from the earlier…
Published 10 Nov 2026Data as of 9 Nov 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine growth slows to 2.1% in Q3 as household spending cools and public construction fallsThe PSA said real GDP grew 2.1% year on year in July–September, down from a revised 2.4% in Q2 2026 and 4.0% in Q3 2025.
Published 10 Nov 2026Data as of 6 Nov 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine unemployment rises to 5.4% in September as new job seekers outpace hiringThe PSA's Labor Force Survey put the unemployment rate at 5.4% in September, up from 5.3% in August 2026 and 3.8% in September 2025.
Published 9 Nov 2026Data as of 5 Nov 2026 CreditMetrobank's nine-month profit dips to PHP 36.3 bn as loans grow 13.0% and its NPL ratio risesMetrobank's net income for January–September was PHP 36.3 bn, down from PHP 37.3 bn a year earlier.
Published 8 Nov 2026Data as of 5 Nov 2026 CreditPhilippine salary-based loan growth quickens to 17.5% in September as card and auto loan growth slowsBank loans grew 11.4% year on year in September, up from 11.0% in August, while consumer loan growth held at 16.2%.
Published 7 Nov 2026Data as of 30 Oct 2026 CreditBDO's nine-month profit edges up 0.8% as loans grow 16% and its NPL ratio fallsBDO Unibank's net income for January–September rose 0.8% to PHP 63.6 bn, after impairment provisions of PHP 17.7 bn.
Published 6 Nov 2026Data as of 5 Nov 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine inflation quickens to 7.8% in October as transport costs jumpHeadline inflation rose to 7.8% in October, up from 7.2% in September and 1.7% in October 2025, inside the BSP's month-ahead range of 7.1%–8.1%.
Published 3 Nov 2026Data as of 2 Nov 2026 CreditPhilippine banks' nine-month profit rises 4.25% as credit-loss provisions grow 24.8%Banking-system net income reached PHP 315.47 bn in January–September, up 4.25% year on year, according to preliminary BSP data.
Published 1 Nov 2026Data as of 30 Oct 2026 CreditPhilippine banks expect stronger household loan demand as fewer plan tighter standardsIn the BSP's third-quarter Senior Bank Loan Officers' Survey, 85.7% of responding banks expect to keep household credit standards unchanged in the…
Published 30 Oct 2026Data as of 29 Oct 2026 CreditPhilippine banks' NPL ratio eases to 3.27% in September as the loan book outgrows bad loansThe banking system's gross NPL ratio was 3.27% in September, down from 3.35% in August and 3.31% in September 2025, according to preliminary BSP data.
Published 28 Oct 2026Data as of 27 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsBMI and Citi see the BSP's policy rate peaking at 5.75%–6.0% after October hikeAfter the BSP's increase to 5.50%, BMI expects one more increase of 25 basis points in December, taking the rate to 5.75% by end-2026…
Published 27 Oct 2026Data as of 25 Oct 2026 Competition & capitalUnionBank plans to fold its digital bank UnionDigital into the parent, pending BSP approvalUnionBank's board approved integrating its digital bank subsidiary UnionDigital Bank and fintech unit UBX into the parent bank…
Published 24 Oct 2026Data as of 22 Oct 2026 CreditBPI's nine-month profit slips as provisions rise 69.2%; card and personal loans grow fastBank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) reported nine-month net income of PHP 48.9 bn, down 3.2% from PHP 50.5 bn a year earlier…
Published 23 Oct 2026Data as of 22 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsBSP raises policy rate by 50 basis points to 5.50% and lifts its 2027 inflation forecastThe Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) raised its target reverse repurchase rate to 5.50% on 22 October…
Published 20 Oct 2026Data as of 19 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine balance-of-payments deficit widens to USD 3.14bn deficit in September as reserves fall to USD 99.5bnThe Philippine balance of payments posted a USD 3.14bn deficit in September, after a USD 596m deficit in August 2026 and a USD 82m surplus in…
Published 17 Oct 2026Data as of 9 Oct 2026 RegulationBSP Circular 1241 moves banks to Basel III operational-risk capital from end-2027BSP Circular No.
Published 16 Oct 2026Data as of 15 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine cash remittances grow 1.9% in August; year-to-date pace trails BSP's projectionCash remittances from overseas Filipinos reached USD 3.04bn in August, up 1.9% year on year, the same pace as July (1.9%).
Published 15 Oct 2026Data as of 13 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsBSP projects balance-of-payments deficits through 2027 and slow remittance growthThe Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) projects a balance-of-payments deficit of USD 9.2bn deficit in 2026 and USD 8.5bn deficit in 2027…
Published 14 Oct 2026Data as of 12 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsNomura finds Philippine price pressures the broadest among Asian economies it tracksNomura's inflation generalisation index for the Philippines stands at 108, the highest among the Asian economies it tracks.
Published 13 Oct 2026Data as of 13 Oct 2026 CreditBMI raises Philippine 2026 bank loan growth forecast to 10% but flags bad-loan riskBMI, a Fitch Solutions research unit, raised its forecast for Philippine bank loan growth at end-2026 to 10% (raised from 8.5%) and expects 9% in…
Published 11 Oct 2026Data as of 9 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsAMRO cuts Philippine 2026 growth forecast to 3.3%; BofA sees below 3%AMRO cut its 2026 Philippine growth forecast to 3.3% on 5 October (cut from 4.1% in AMRO's July outlook)…
Published 10 Oct 2026Data as of 7 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine unemployment falls to 5.3% in August, still above a year earlierThe unemployment rate fell to 5.3% in August (down from 6.0% in July 2026; up from 3.9% in August 2025)…
Published 8 Oct 2026Data as of 6 Oct 2026 Competition & capitalCIMB reportedly weighs sale of its Philippine digital bank as Revolut eyes a licenceCIMB is exploring a sale of its Philippine business that could value it at up to USD 200 m, Bloomberg reported; no decision has been made.
Published 8 Oct 2026Data as of 30 Sep 2026 RegulationPhilippine SEC proposes accreditation and fines for lenders' third-party debt collectorsAn SEC draft would let only accredited third-party agencies and in-house staff collect debts for financing and lending companies…
Published 7 Oct 2026Data as of 6 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsInflation for the poorest Filipino households rises to 9.0% in SeptemberInflation for the lowest-income households (PSA's bottom-three-deciles index) rose to 9.0% in September (up from 8.2% in August)…
Published 6 Oct 2026Data as of 6 Oct 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine inflation jumps to 7.2% in September, matching April's peakHeadline inflation rose to 7.2% in September (up from 6.1% in August; matches April 2026), ending four months of easing.
Published 5 Oct 2026Data as of 5 Oct 2026 CreditPhilippine banks' NPL ratio holds at 3.35% in August as loan growth outpaces bad loansThe banking system's gross NPL ratio was 3.35% in August (unchanged from July; down from 3.50% in August 2025), according to preliminary BSP data.
Published 3 Oct 2026Data as of 2 Oct 2026 Competition & capitalGCash operator Mynt prices its IPO at PHP 6.60 per share, well below the maximum priceMynt set the final offer price at PHP 6.60 per share, about 34% below the PHP 10 maximum offer price.
Published 3 Oct 2026Data as of 1 Oct 2026 CreditPhilippine consumer loan growth slows to 16.2% in August as total bank lending quickensConsumer loans of universal and commercial banks grew 16.2% year on year in August, down from 17.1% in July.
Published 1 Oct 2026Data as of 30 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsBSP projects September inflation at 6.4%–7.4%, possibly the highest since March 2023Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) expects September headline inflation of 6.4% to 7.4%, above August's 6.1%.
Published 30 Sep 2026Data as of 25 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsIMF and ADB cut Philippine 2026 growth forecasts to 3.4% and 3.3%The IMF's Article IV mission, which concluded on 25 September, projects 3.4% growth in 2026 (cut from 3.9% in the IMF's previous projection)…
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 27 Sep 2026 Credit · Research noteLoan-officer-named SMS reminders cut arrears only for repeat borrowers (2009–10 RCT)A randomised trial in Philippine microfinance (2009–2010) tested SMS repayment reminders.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 26 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine consumer confidence improves to −29.8% in Q3 2026 but stays negativeBSP's consumer confidence index for July–September was −29.8% (up from −42.0% in Q2 2026).
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 26 Sep 2026 T&S ViewT&S View: In Philippine household credit, check quality before chasing the demand reboundConsumer confidence has improved, but unemployment and the consumer-loan NPL ratio have risen.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 24 Sep 2026 Competition & capitalGCash operator Mynt secures more than 20 cornerstone investors for its IPOMynt secured PHP 36.5 bn from more than 20 cornerstone investors, about 68.8% of the base offer.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 21 Sep 2026 RegulationBSP Circular 1240 sets PHP 1 bn capital floor for digital-centric smaller banksBSP Circular No. 1240, dated 21 September, tightens rules on thrift, rural and cooperative banks operating digital-style models.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 18 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsBSP survey: 48% of Filipino adults find emergency funds very hard to raiseIn BSP's 2025 Consumer Finance and Inclusion Survey, 48% of adults said raising emergency funds would be very difficult.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 9 Sep 2026 CreditPhilippine banks' consumer-loan NPL ratio rises to 5.49%The banking system NPL ratio was 3.35% in July (up from 3.29% in June); NPLs totalled about PHP 585 bn.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 9 Sep 2026 Competition & capitalSSS's low-rate LoanLite micro-loan goes live on a digital bank appThe Social Security System's LoanLite is now available through the UnionDigital Bank app.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 8 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine consumer loan growth slows to 17.1%, an eleventh straight monthly slowdownUniversal and commercial bank loans rose 10.4% year on year to PHP 14.98 trn in July.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 8 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine July unemployment at 6.0%, up year on year; underemployment fallsThe July unemployment rate was 6.0% (up from 5.3% in July 2025); unemployed persons totalled 3.14 million.
Published 28 Sep 2026Data as of 4 Sep 2026 Macro & householdsPhilippine inflation eases to 6.1% in August, still well above targetAugust CPI inflation was 6.1% year on year (down from 6.2% in July; fourth consecutive monthly slowdown), per PSA data.