Philippines Financial Services

For a number of years the Philippines worked hard to lower tariff rates, with the average weighted tariff applied falling from 22.4% in 1989 to a low of 2.6% in 2003. However, rates have begun to creep up again. The Philippines is actively considering a number of liberalisations to better align itself with the more open of its regional peers and to better integrate itself with the global economy...

The Philippines insurance industry is poised for strong growth from a low base, being ranked as the third-smallest insurance market in the East Asian region. Penetration levels of just 14% indicate that there is considerable room for expansion. Sectoral figures are lobbying, with some success, to rewrite existing regulations, which they feel impose burdensome tax costs on the industry. Other...

The Philippines Stock Exchange (PSE) was the best-performing index in Asia in 2011, although it could not match the incredible 37.6% growth it displayed in 2010. Still, the bourse managed to close out the year 4.1% higher, thanks largely to the strong performance of the mining and oil counter. Now managers of the PSE, which is the smallest of South-east Asia’s major stock markets, want to...

The Philippines’ well-capitalised banks enjoyed strong profit growth in 2011, and excess liquidity is the main worry at this point. Much-hyped PPP projects could be a fillip for the sector, providing an avenue for lending. A number of factors point to consolidation in the sector, include the labour intensiveness of Philippines banking, rising capital requirements, and merger incentives from the...