(Noong Hunyo) FOREIGN DEBT NG PH PUMALO SA $130.18-B

LUMOBO ang total external debt (EDT) ng bansa sa $130.18 billion hanggang end-June 2024, ayon sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

Mas mataas ito ng $1.49 billion o 1.2 percent mula $128.69 billion na naitala noong Marso.

“The rise in the debt level was primarily driven by net availments aggregating $1.50 billion as the national government raised $2.61 billion from: (a) the issuance of its US$2.00 billion Dual Tranche Fixed Rate Global Bonds under its Sustainable Finance Framework; and (b) US$611.81 million borrowings from official creditors,” ayon sa BSP.

“Prior periods’ adjustments of US$493.28 million due to late reporting/registration by borrowers as well as net acquisitions of Philippine debt securities by non-residents from residents aggregating US$238.80 million also contributed to the rise in the debt level,” dagdag pa ng BSP.

Ayon sa central bank, sa kabila ng pagtaas sa debt stock, ang EDT ay nasa “prudent level” pa rin.

Kumpara sa end-June 2023 level na $117.92, ang debt stock ng bansa ay tumaas ng $12.26 billion o 10.4 percent dahil sa “net availments” ng $10.36 billion, kung saan US$5.83 billion ay hiniram ng private sector entities.

Ayon sa BSP, ang iba pang key external debt indicators ng bansa ay nanatili sa comfortable levels.

Ang gross international reserves (GIR) ay nasa $105.19 billion hangang end-June 2024.

“The debt service ratio (DSR), which relates principal and interest payments (debt service burden) to exports of goods and receipts from services and primary income, improved to 9.5 percent from 11.1 percent for the same period last year due to lower debt service payments in the first half of 2024,” dagdag pa ng BSP.

Samantala, ang public sector external debt ay lumago ng $922.95 million o 1.2 percent sa $79.83 billion sa second quarter ng 2024 mula $78.90 billion level sa first quarter ng 2024.

“The increase in public sector borrowings was driven mainly by total net availments of $1.75 billion as the national government tapped international capital markets and various official creditors to increase funding for its infrastructure projects and social services programs,” ayon sa central bank.

Ang borrowings na iniuugnay sa national government ay nasa $73.22 billion o 91.7 percent
ng public sector obligations, habang ang nalalabing $6.61 billion o 8.3 percent ay borrowings ng government-owned and controlled corporations, government financial institutions, at ng BSP.

Gayundin, ang private sector debt ay tumaas sa $50.36 billion sa pagtatapos ng second quarter ng 2024 kung saan ang share nito sa total debt ay naitala sa 38.7 percent.

“The $567.15 million (or 1.1 percent) increase from the end-March 2024 level of $49.79 billion was due mainly to prior periods’ adjustments of $522.86 million and the net acquisition by non-residents from residents of corporate debt securities amounting to US$398.39 million,” paliwanag ng BSP.