ONLY about three in 10 Filipino adults have enough savings to withstand financial shocks, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said, highlighting continued weaknesses in household finances despite financial inclusion.
Data from the 2025 Consumer Finance and Inclusion Survey (CFIS) showed that financial resilience remains the weakest dimension of financial health, with a limited share of respondents saying their current savings could sustain them during emergencies or income disruptions.
Only 30 percent of adults said their savings or current finances could last through emergencies, slightly higher than the 28 percent seen in 2021, indicating that most households still lacked sufficient buffers against unexpected shocks.
“Challenges persist in emergency preparedness and in maintaining adequate liquidity to manage potential income shocks,” the BSP said.
“Higher-income, better-educated, and government workers exhibited greater capacity to manage everyday expenses and handle financial setbacks, pursue personal goals, and maintain a life with fewer financial constraints,” it noted.
“In contrast, low income and less educated individuals remain considerably more vulnerable and face greater challenges in achieving financial stability.”
The survey also highlighted stagnation in long-term financial outlooks. The share of Filipinos who believed that their financial situation would allow them to achieve their wants and aspirations remained unchanged at 36 percent between 2021 and 2025.
Despite broader access to financial services, the BSP emphasized that inclusion had not fully translated into resilience.
While about 85 percent of households have access to at least one financial account, only half of Filipino adults owned accounts individually, indicating continued reliance on shared financial resources.
Microfinance NGO lending fell to six percent from 10 percent while borrowing from cooperatives dropped to one percent from four percent over the same period.
Despite the overall decline, ownership of core financial products remained steady. E-money accounts continued to account for 36 percent of adults while bank account ownership stood at 23 percent.
While financial literacy improved, with 74 percent of adults able to correctly answer basic financial questions in 2025 from 69 percent in 2021, only 43 percent reported satisfaction with their current financial situation.
This suggests that increased knowledge does not necessarily translate into improved financial well-being, the BSP said, underscoring the need to strengthen financial education and empower consumers to make informed decisions.
“Access alone is insufficient,” the central bank said.
“Sustained efforts are needed to deepen usage of financial products and services beyond transaction accounts, improve financial capability and enhance consumer protection.”
