Phl net external liability widens in Q1

The country's net external liability widened in the first quarter as foreign investments in the Philippines outpaced local investments abroad, data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed.

- By KEISHA TA-ASAN

The Philippines' net international investment position (IIP) rose to $69.3 billion as of end-March, 5.8 percent higher than the $65.5 billion at end-December 2024, reflecting a continued buildup in foreign obligations.

The IIP is a key indicator of the economy's financial openness and strength in dealing with external shocks. A net liability position implies the country owes more to the rest of the world than what it is owed.

The country's external financial liabilities inched up by 2.7 percent to $326.8 billion, outpacing the 1.9-percent growth in external financial assets to $257.5 billion. On a year-on-year basis, the net liability position went up by 17.2 percent from $59.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024.