A steady, sustainable growth story; an underbanked population; a key player in the Asean region; solid financial regulation; an embracing of PPPs to tackle huge infrastructure needs; and a nascent asset management industry. The Philippines is awash with opportunity for lenders, but who will take advantage?
A strong economy and good governance have helped maintain healthy profitability at most of the Philippines' largest lenders, but with plans to establish a semi-integrated regional banking industry among the Association of South-east Asian Nations members – which would pit local institutions against much more mature banks – many are looking to diversify, both in terms of the products they offer and the customer base they serve.
The days of the Philippines being one of Asia's underachievers are looking to be a thing of the past, according to the country's finance secretary, Cesar Purisima. The secret to the island nation's success, he tells The Banker, is good governance and a president that the country can unite behind.
Confidence is running high in the Philippine banking sector as the country enjoys low interest rates and improved stability. But with the 2015 deadline for the economic integration of the Association of South-east Asian Nations approaching, increased competition and a reshaping of the market seems inevitable.
As one of the Philippines' most dynamic bankers, Nestor Tan has overseen a series of acquisitions and mergers that have transformed Banco de Oro into the largest bank in the country by assets. Now he is eager for further growth by capitalising on opportunities presented by the recession. Writer Michelle Price
The Philippines' finance minister says that the archipelago's economy has remained relatively resilient during the downturn compared with its export-dependent neighbours. But the budget deficit remains an ongoing problem. Writer Michelle Price
The governor of Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas talks about how the central bank took swift and effective action to ensure that the Philippines was not badly hit by the credit crunch. But he warns that exiting a liberal monetary policy stance may bring its own risks. Writer Michelle Price