BUSINESS

BTr deepens cooperation with IMF, World Bank

Toby Magsaysay

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) has strengthened its collaboration with the World Bank Treasury and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to boost the Philippines’ fiscal and debt management capacity, the agency announced on Tuesday, 28 October 2025.

National Treasurer Sharon P. Almanza, together with Deputy Treasurer Erwin D. Sta. Ana—currently on secondment to the World Bank as Senior Adviser—met with Miguel Navarro-Martin, Head of Financial Products and Client Solutions at the World Bank Treasury, and Armando Rosselli, Senior Financial Officer for Capital Markets and Investments.

The discussions focused on the country’s ongoing financing strategies and explored opportunities for collaboration through tailored financial instruments and innovative debt solutions. The World Bank presented flexible financing products designed to enhance debt sustainability and optimize government funding operations.

“The meeting reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prudent debt management and the continuous pursuit of financing strategies that enhance fiscal resilience and promote sustainable economic growth,” the BTr said.

Separately, Treasury officials met with IMF representatives from the Fiscal Affairs Department and the Institute for Capacity Development, led by Elif Arbatli Saxegaard, Deputy Division Chief and Mission Chief for the Asia and Pacific Department, along with senior economists Michal Andrle, Alex Ho, and Lorena Rivero del Paso. The discussions focused on improving debt management, fiscal risk assessment, and cash operations.

The IMF engagement reinforced support for the Philippines’ efforts to enhance analytical tools for debt sustainability, improve cash management systems, and integrate fiscal risk management frameworks to ensure effective and transparent public financial management.

According to the BTr, these international collaborations highlight the government’s proactive approach in leveraging global expertise to strengthen fiscal resilience and long-term economic stability.