BoP position swings to $706-million surplus in October

The Philippines’ balance of payments (BoP) position swung to a surplus in October, narrowing the country’s external position gap in the ten-month period, the central bank said.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed that the country’s BoP registered a surplus of $706 million in October, a turnaround from the $724-million deficit seen a year ago.

This was also wider than the $82-million surfeit in September and marked the third consecutive month that the BoP stood at a surplus.

“The Philippines’ balance of payments registered a $706 million surplus in October 2025, reflecting improved external accounts,” the BSP said in a statement released late Wednesday.

BoP refers to the country’s economic transactions with other nations. A surplus indicates more funds entered the country, while a deficit shows that the country spent more than it received.

The BoP surplus in October brought the country’s ten-month deficit to $4.609 billion, a reversal from the $4.393-billion surplus in the same period last year.

“For January to October 2025, the BoP recorded an overall deficit of $4.6 billion, showing signs of narrowing as inflows strengthened,” the central bank said. — Katherine K. Chan