MANILA — The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will promote financial health as part of the regional agenda when the Philippines assumes the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2026.

BSP Governor Eli M. Remolona, Jr. highlighted this during a fireside chat at the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) headquarters in Basel, Switzerland on 11 November 2025.

The event featured Her Majesty Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Financial Health (UNSGSA); BIS General Manager Pablo Hernández de Cos; and International Organization of Securities Commissions and Financial Services and Markets Authority of Belgium Chairman Jean-Paul Servais. It was organized by the BIS Financial Stability Institute and the UNSGSA.

Financial health exists when individuals and families can manage financial obligations smoothly, withstand shocks, pursue goals, seize opportunities, and feel satisfied and confident about their financial lives, with country-specific circumstances shaping this experience.

Governor Remolona emphasized that ASEAN should strengthen financial health by expanding access to financial markets, including stocks, bonds, and insurance.

He also held a bilateral meeting with Queen Máxima in Basel to discuss possible regional initiatives on financial health that the Philippines can pursue as ASEAN Chair in 2026.