THE Philippines’ sovereign debt decreased in August this year as the government repaid a chunk of its domestic obligations and the peso strengthened, the Bureau of Treasury said on Tuesday, September 30.
Total debt slipped to P17.47 trillion or down by P95.07 billion in August from P17.563 trillion in July.
“This was mainly due to the government’s full repayment of its biggest local bond for the year, worth P516.34 billion, and a stronger peso, which reduced the value of the country’s external debt,” Treasury said.
Treasury also noted that this was an improvement in the country’s debt profile as the share of domestic debt to total borrowings increased to 69.2 percent from 68.9 percent in the previous month.
“This indicates a generally more favorable debt position, given that domestic debt is less vulnerable to shifts in foreign exchange movements.
In addition, domestic borrowing is largely owed to Filipinos themselves, providing a safe and secure investment vehicle for wealth growth while also ensuring that the money circulates back into the local economy,” the agency added.
Domestic debt declined to P12.09 trillion, down by P21.39 billion from the prior month. Foreign debt also fell to P5.38 trillion, lower by P73.68 billion relative to its July 2025 level.
However, compared to August last year, the country’s total debt was still higher by P1.92 trillion or up 12.3 percent.
Since the start of the year, the government has raised P1.84 trillion through local borrowings, including the highly successful issuance of Retail Treasury Bond Tranche 31.
Economic managers have been downplaying concerns over the size of the country’s debt, saying it is sustainable as long as the Philippine economy maintains its fast growth. (ABS-CBN News)
