The government’s gross borrowings were less in the first half of the month as domestic financing posted a double-digit decline year-on-year.

Preliminary data from the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) showed that the six-month borrowings of the national government declined by 11.16 percent to P1.178 trillion from P1.326 trillion logged in the January-June period last year.

Gross external borrowings declined by 37.03 percent to P267.412 billion during the first half from P366.441 billion in the year prior.

Debts were composed of P115.247 billion in global bonds, P100.498 billion in program loans, and P51.667 billion in project loans.

Financing grows

On the other hand, gross domestic financing increased by 27.24 percent to P1.303 trillion for the period January to June this year from P1.024 trillion last year.

This consisted of P609.207 billion in fixed-rate Treasury bonds, P584.861 billion in retail Treasury bonds, and P109.070 billion in Treasury bills.

In June alone, total gross borrowings declined by 11.77 percent to P140.230 billion from the P158.951 billion recorded in the same period in 2023.

Gross foreign financing amounted to P15.700 billion in June, 30.42 percent lower than its year-ago level of P22.567 billion.

The government borrowed from foreign sources in June through project and program loans, worth P10.637 billion and P5.063 billion, respectively.

Domestic borrowings likewise declined by 7.95 percent to P132.476 billion as of the end of June from the P143.920 billion recorded a year ago.

The government raised P22.248 billion in Treasury bills, while P110.228 billion was accounted for by fixed-rate treasury bonds.