National Treasurer [ Sharon ] Almanza;
SSS President and CEO [ Robert De ] Claro;
LANDBANK President and CEO [ Lynette ] Ortiz
DBP President and CEO [ Michael ] De Jesus
BPI-Capital Corporation President [ Lester ] Ong
BONDS.PH/PDAX Chairman Nichel Merlmichael Gaba
Government Securities Eligible Dealers;
Colleagues in government;
Ladies and gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

I am honored to represent Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go and deliver his message at the 128th Anniversary of the Bureau of Treasury and the Awarding of outstanding Government Securities Eligible Dealers today.

I congratulate the BTr for over a century of ensuring prudent debt management, financial stability, and investor confidence. Through the years, you have kept a vigilant watch over our nation’s coffers, spotting potential financial risks and carrying out interventions before they become threats.

Managing the national passbook—that I learned does not actually physically exist—and raising 90 percent of our borrowing requirements to support our programs are no easy tasks. But they are foundations of a stable and prosperous country.

That is why this year’s theme on building trust and reforming capital markets could not be more fitting.

Every peso accounted for, every bond issuance honored, and every safeguard enforced bears the weight of our nation’s stability.

Trust is earned through consistent performance, predictable rules, and institutions that keep their word. When investors believe in our systems, they invest with confidence, allowing our economy to grow where the people benefit.

And we cannot build trust in the capital markets without building good relations with those who serve as our frontline partners in raising funds and promoting financial inclusion.

In this endeavor, we rely on a solid partnership with our Government Securities Eligible Dealers. You are the dealmakers who keep the market liquid and stable. You make government securities more accessible, empowering Filipinos to invest, save, and be part of nation-building.

In fact, we have already raised 2.08 trillion pesos, nearly the entire 2.11 trillion pesos domestic issuance program for 2025, through a combination of regular Treasury bill and Treasury bond auctions and special issuances, as of yesterday.

This is a testament to your active engagement with the investing public. We look to you to help us replicate this success as we raise funds for next year’s 6.79 trillion-peso budget.

Rest assured that the Department of Finance will support you in these efforts.

We are pursuing reforms that make it easier for you to raise capital and create more opportunities for our investors and our people.

In turn, we ask for your continued support and collaboration. Help us accelerate financial digitalization, modernize market infrastructure, and broaden investor participation. Just as significant, help us encourage more Filipinos to support government programs by investing in bonds, securities, and other financial instruments.

Together, let us generate more funds needed to build a more secure financial future for every Filipino.

To our awardees, we urge you to sustain the efforts that earned you this recognition, and to continue leading in ways that inspire the rest of the market.

To our partners and stakeholders, we ask that you stay active supporters of our reforms, help broaden market participation, and help make sure every improvement in our financial system delivers real, tangible benefits.

To the BTr, I ask you to remain committed to your mission of safeguarding our nation’s finances as we build a more stable and secure future for Filipinos.

Keep managing our debt responsibly, make our processes even more transparent and efficient, and help deepen our financial markets. Your role is key as we work to keep our finances stable for the long term.

Finally, may you keep up the good work and maintain the quiet but steadfast leadership you have always displayed through all these years.

Here’s to another century of service and success to the Bureau of Treasury!

Thank you and congratulations to the awardees.