BTr moves to drum up interest in retail T-bond offering

The Bureau of Treasury conducted an eight-leg countrywide roadshow to drum up interest in the 29th tranche of the national government’s Retail T-Bond (RTB) offering, which is being offered up to as late as Feb. 17.

The BTr’s offer is for P200 billion worth of RTBs, and the auction committee has awarded P162 billion on RTB 29’s launch last Feb. 7.

This was a similar amount to the launch-day result for RTB 28, which was offered in August 2022. When the offer period ended, the BTr had issued a total of P420 billion.

For RTB 29, the BTr’s sorties covered Baguio City, Pampanga, Batangas, Naga City, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod City, and Davao.

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said the RTB 29 offer “reflects our desire to forge much closer ties with our retail investors, and our positive outlook towards sustainable economic growth and recovery.”

“ RTB 29 is also a celebration of the bond that we have carefully strengthened through almost 22 years of arduous endeavor towards a more inclusive and efficient retail market,” de Leon said.

The RTBs have promoted financial literacy and inclusion among Filipinos as they are easily accessible to the investing public through online channels.

Aside from the traditional over-the-counter subscription through the authorized selling agents or banks, the public may also use BTr’s Online Ordering Facility and mobile banking apps such as Bonds.PH, Land Bank of the Philippines app, and the Overseas Filipino Bank app.

According to Landbank, RTB-29 is expected to be well-received by the market given the higher interest rates.

The 5.5-year RTB fetched a gross interest rate of 6.125 percent per year that is payable every quarter until its maturity in 2028.

“The more retail investors participate in RTBs, the faster we are advancing the country’s development agenda where no one is left behind,” Landbank president and chief executive Cecilia Borromeo said in a statement.

Further, holders of previously issued bonds that will mature in March, April and May, may also exchange and reinvest their bond holdings for the latest bond offer.