THE PHILIPPINE Dealing and Exchange Corp. (PDEx) is eyeing to generate P600 billion in corporate bond issuances this year after missing its target for 2024, according to its president.
鈥淲e鈥檒l be refocusing it again, but right now, the budget is for P600 billion,鈥 PDEx President and Chief Executive Officer Antonino A. Nakpil told reporters on the sidelines of a Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) event on Monday.
This will exceed the record P508 billion raised in 2022 if the target is met.
However, Mr. Nakpil said the target may be adjusted based on company plans and the impact of geopolitical risks.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not sure of the P600 billion. We鈥檒l be refocusing. We鈥檒l see whether it鈥檚 reachable this year,鈥 he said.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 looking at geopolitical stuff. No one wants to make any plans. But what we鈥檙e finding is that everybody talks about inflation, interest rates going here or there,鈥 he added.
Mr. Nakpil said that refinancing initiatives are driving efforts to achieve the target.
鈥淲e think most of it is refinancing. The ones who were planning late last year, they鈥檙e coming into this first quarter of 2025. We鈥檒l see them starting February,鈥 he said.
鈥淚 think we have three or four to start. Still the same folks. Banks and real estate are coming in,鈥 he added.
He also said PDEx is refocusing its efforts to cater to micro, small, and medium companies.
鈥淲e鈥檙e refocusing our efforts on that. We鈥檒l try to digitalize the process, then we鈥檒l aim for smaller amounts, which is what the micro, small, and medium scale like,鈥 he said.
鈥淭hen we鈥檒l try to bring them together with what we call qualified investors,鈥 he added. 鈥 Revin Mikhael D. Ochave
