Philippine central bank considers regulatory easing for small, mid-sized lenders

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is considering easing regulations for small and mid-sized banks by allowing their loans to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to count towards reserve requirements. As regulatory relief measures implemented during the pandemic are phased out, BSP Governor Felipe Medalla revealed plans to enable these banks to continue using MSME loans as compliance to the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) until the loans mature. This is aimed at mitigating the impact of increased RRR compliance on smaller banks. The BSP is also contemplating reducing the level of deposits banks are required to maintain with the central bank, following signs of economic recovery from the pandemic.