THE Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) said the inclusion of Philippine government securities within the JPMorgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets (GBI-EM) reflects ongoing reforms and alignment with global market standards.
“The inclusion of the Philippine government securities within the GBI-EM underscores the regular progress of reforms by the National Government’s Economic Team, strengthening investor confidence in our capital market,” SEC Chairperson Francisco Ed. Lim said in an announcement on Thursday.
“It’s a transparent validation of the Philippines’ continued alignment with international market standards,” he added.
Philippine government bonds might be included in JPMorgan’s GBI-EM starting Jan. 29, 2027, marking their first entry into the index.
Nine bonds with a combined value of about $49 billion are set for inclusion, with an estimated weight of 1.78%.
The inclusion is anticipated to draw inflows from index-tracking funds and increase foreign participation within the local bond market.
The SEC said it would proceed to coordinate with the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, the Department of Finance, and the Bureau of the Treasury on market regulations and infrastructure.
It added that it would review rules as needed to support foreign investor participation and improve access to global capital markets. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno