The strong performance of consumer lending in the first half of 2025 makes officials of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) optimistic for sustained income growth till the end of the year.

In the first half of this year, the bank registered a 7.8 percent increase in net income to P33 billion, driven by the rise in consumer lending and net interest income.

BPI president and CEO TG Limcaoco noted the performance of both corporate and consumer lending in the first six months of the year, saying this would continue to power full-year performance.

“We believe all of the factors exist and for those to continue into the end of the year,” he said.

Limcauco said the drop in interest rates, as a result of the leeway given by the manageable domestic inflation rate, has an impact on net interest margins (NIMs), but he sees little change in their overall performance.

With the projected additional cuts in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ key rates in the remaining months of the year, he said that they have taken these into consideration vis-à-vis their income projection.

“That shows that the way we’re treating our book, the way we’re handling the growth, allows us to continue to keep our NIMs fully supported. And I think the trend will continue as we move forward,” he said.

The bank will also open its office in Singapore this year after it got the license application approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Limcauco said.

"We're building the office. We hope to inaugurate the office in the next month or two."

PNA PHOTO