Gov’t debt stock at P7.4T

The national government’s debt stock settled at P7.45 trillion as of February, easing slightly by P43 billion or 0.6 percent from the January level mainly due to a net payment of loans, both domestic and foreign.

Domestic debt was at P4.9 trillion, 0.2 percent lower than the previous month’s level.

“For February, the lower domestic debt was principally due to the net redemption of government securities amounting to P11.46 billion and the P0.19 billion downward valuation of onshore dollar bonds brought about by peso appreciation,” the Bureau of the Treasury said.

The peso appreciated from 52.161 against the dollar as of end-January to 51.769 as of end-February.

External debt hit P2.6 trillion, 1.2 percent lower month-on-month. The BTr said this was also due to the impact of currency fluctuations on both dollar and third-currency denominated debt amounting to P19.42 billion and P8.38 billion, respectively.—RONNEL W. DOMINGO