Apr 212014
 
BSP keeps inflation targets

MANILA, Philippines – The government has kept its inflation targets for this year until 2016 following an inter-agency meeting, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said yesterday. In a statement, the central bank said inflation targets have been maintained at three to five percent for this year, and at two to four percent for both 2015 and 2016. “Based on the most recent assessment of current inflation developments, evolving economic and financial trends as well as indicators of the public’s inflation expectations and the BSP’s emerging forecasts, the current (three to five percent) target for 2014 of the government remains appropriate for the Philippine economy,” the central bank said. “The government also decided to maintain the medium-term inflation target of (two to four percent) for 2015 – 2016 as it continues to be consistent with the country’s current inflation dynamics and outlook for the next couple of years and the expected higher potential capacity under a low inflation environment,” the BSP continued. The 2014 inflation target was first announced in 2010, while the 2015 to 2016 targets were announced in 2012. The DBCC itself is made up of the BSP governor, the secretaries of the departments of finance and budget and management, the Socioeconomic Planning secretary, and the executive secretary. Business ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1 The inter-agency committee is tasked to set the targets and assumptions of macroeconomic fundamentals including the gross domestic product, foreign-exchange rate, and trade data, among others. The economy grew by a faster-than-expected Read More …

Dec 182013
 
BSP sets release of new coins

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos may soon be using new coins as early as 2015 as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is finalizing the design and features of the currency. “We are now discussing the new generation coins…  A committee is now discussing the design for the new coins and by 2015, this is expected to be finalized,” BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo said. “So probably by 2015 or 2016, we will be launching the NGC (new generation currency) coins,” he added. Guinigundo further said the design and make of the coins will have to be approved first by the BSP Governor and the President before they are launched to the public. The new coins will match the new generation bank notes launched in late 2010 and may have lesser metal content. At the same time, new technologies to prevent counterfeiting will be introduced, along with features that would help the blind distinguish between the denominations.