Philippines Starts Offer of Its First Global Bond for 2025

(Bloomberg) -- The Philippines on Thursday began marketing a two-part dollar bond, adding to a rush of US currency bonds out of Asia.

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The Southeast Asian nation, which has investment-grade credit ratings, is offering a benchmark 10-year bond and a benchmark 25-year sustainability note, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified.

The offering is the Philippine government’s first trip to the international market this year and the latest addition to a flurry of dollar bonds from Asian borrowers looking to lock in rates at near record-low premiums over Treasuries.

Among the regional borrowers lured by tighter spreads to the US-currency debt market are Philippine lender Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. which raised $350 million from 5-year bond this week. Indonesia’s PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara has requested proposals from banks for a dollar bond offering of as much as $1.5 billion while its government sold $2 billion and €1.4 billion bonds in early January.

The initial pricing on the Philippines’ latest 10-year bond offering - at 120 basis points above comparable US Treasuries - is at least 36.6 basis points above its comparable dollar-bond curve, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The 25-year sustainability note, with initial target yield of around 6.1%, is 31 basis points outside the same curve.

The Philippines typically uses the proceeds from its debt sale for general budget funding as well as debt refinancing. It has about $1.5 billion in dollar bonds that will be due in March and €650 million in euro-denominated debt in April, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

The government is looking to narrow its budget deficit to 5.3% of economic output this year from a projected 5.7% in 2024. It plans to raise $3.5 billion from overseas bonds this year as rate cuts continue, Finance Secretary Ralph Recto said early this week.

Read: Philippines Plans $3.5 Billion in Global Bond Sales This Year

The dollar bonds may price during New York session Thursday. A concurrent euro tranche may follow at London open, subject to market conditions.

(Updates with background, context throughout.)

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