Philippine banks hold lending standards steady in Q3

Few banks expect lending standards to ease during the period.

Most Philippine banks expect to maintain their lending standards in Q3 2026 particularly for household loans.

Of the 60 banks surveyed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), 3 in 4 or 75% indicate no change in credit standards for enterprise loans.

The majority or 80% expect stable standards for household loans, the BSP said.

“Overall, the results point to broadly stable credit conditions reflecting continued prudence in credit risk assessment amid an evolving economic environment,” the BSP said in a statement.

For those expecting credit standards to tighten, survey responses suggest a moderation in the tightening bias amongst banks for loans to both enterprises and households.

There are a few banks anticipating lending standards to ease in Q3 for loans to enterprises, the BSP said.

Separately, the BSP had launched three new payment services, including an InstaPay for Businesses that increased the maximum transfer tenfold.