RAISING CAPITAL. The government is set to issue a retail treasury bond (RTB) in the coming days but National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said Thursday (Aug. 18, 2022) that there are no specifics yet. RTBs are intended for small investors as the minimum placement is PHP5,000. (Graphics from BTr’s Facebook page)
MANILA – The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) is set to issue retail treasury bonds (RTBs) later this month, the first under the Marcos administration.
“Yes, but no details yet,” National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said in a reply to a Viber message from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) on Thursday.
In a post on its Facebook page on Wednesday, the BTr informed the public that everyone could help get the economy back on its feet.
“Ako, ikaw, at tayong lahat, ay mayroong maitutulong sa ating pagbangon muli (You and I, all of us, can help in our recovery),” it said, urging people to wait for the information on August 23.
During the day, another post was made informing the public of an investment of at least PHP5,000.
“Yung PHP5,000 mo, malayo ang mararating! Mapapalapit ka na sa iyong mga pangarap, makakatulong pa ito sa pagbangon ng bansa! (Your PHP5,000 will go a long way! You will get closer to your dreams and it will even help rebuild the country),” it said, citing again that details would be announced on August 23.
Earlier, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr. cited investors’ preference for shorter-dated securities being issued by the central bank.
Dakila traced this partly to expectations for another hike in the BSP’s key rates, as well as anticipations for the “issuance of the Retail Treasury Bonds towards the end of the month.”
RTBs target small investors, with minimum placement at PHP5,000.
The last time the BTr issued RTBs was in February, raising a total of PHP457.8 billion for a five-year tenor, which fetched a coupon rate of 4.875 percent.
Authorities said proceeds of the bond issuance would be used to fund programs that will help the economy recover from the pandemic. (PNA)
