A majority of banks expect lending standards for both businesses and households to remain unchanged in the last quarter of 2025, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).
In its latest bank lending survey covering 58 respondents, the BSP said 86 percent of banks plan to keep their current credit rules for business loans — up from 78.9 percent in the third quarter. Only 3.5 percent expect to ease their standards, while 10.5 percent anticipate tightening them.
For household loans, such as those for housing, auto, and personal borrowing, 87.5 percent of banks also expect no changes in requirements, rising from 77.5 percent previously. Around 10 percent foresee tighter lending conditions, and 2.5 percent may ease them.
The BSP explained that lending standards reflect how strict or flexible banks are in approving loans, including factors like interest rates, loan size, collateral requirements, and repayment terms.
The steady outlook suggests that banks remain cautious but confident in maintaining their current risk appetite. For consumers and businesses, this means borrowing conditions are likely to stay stable toward the end of 2025 — neither significantly tighter nor easier than in the previous quarter.
