The Philippine government raised P210 billion through a new offering of its five-year retail treasury bonds (RTB31) aimed at small investors, the Bureau of the Treasury said Tuesday.
The initial auction on Tuesday received bids of P354.2 billion, nearly 12 times the initial offer of P30 billion, prompting the government to increase the awarded amount.
The bonds carry a gross interest rate of 6.0-percent per annum, with quarterly payments until their maturity in August 2030. The offer period will run from Aug. 5 to Aug. 15.
The bonds are accessible with a minimum investment of P5,000. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said the offering was part of the government’s commitment to make investment opportunities available to all Filipinos while contributing to national development.
To make the bonds more accessible, the government is offering them through over-the-counter bank transactions, online banking, and the GCash-based GBonds platform, which allows investments as low as P500 without a bank account.
Recto said the government would use the funds to support public priority programs and projects. He emphasized that every peso invested is part of the Philippines’ growth story, helping fund infrastructure and social programs.
The finance chief also highlighted the recently enacted Capital Market Efficiency Promotion Act, which aims to lower investment costs and make capital markets more accessible to the average Filipino.
