Qatar - Community members laud Philippines' investment programme RTB27

Members of the Filipino community in Qatar lauded the Philippines' Retail Treasury Bond (RTB) as one of the means to fund the national government emergency, recovery and resiliency.

RTB27 was recently launched in Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, Dubai, Bahrain and Nigeria simultaneously online via Bureau of Treasury's (BTr) Facebook page and Zoom meeting. 

Arian Bautista who's an Overseas Filipino Worker in Qatar told The Peninsula that investing in the RTB is an assurance that her investment is secured and will grow.“With a minimum amount of 5,000 pesos, I can easily invest on the government's funding for infrastructure and health, I thank the government for this information session which we really needed, it also had an open forum where we could get more information about the programme.”

Meanwhile, Rain Ruelos said that RTB27 is one way to achieve financial literacy.“I have been working in Qatar for a couple of years now and I don't really know where to invest my money and I commend the BTr because of this low-risk and affordable type of investment available to every Filipino regardless if one is living back home in the Philippines or abroad.”

RTB is part of the Philippine government's programme to make government securities available to retail investors, individuals, cooperatives, retirement funds, and provident funds. It is low-risk with a minimum investment of only 5,000 pesos or QR350, it guarantees a fixed-income which is being paid quarterly, and is affordable, convenient and issued by the national government.

“By investing in the RTBs, you are able to work towards a secured future for your families, relatives, friends, significant others or your loved one, and the Philippines. This is your chance to contribute to the government's efforts towards recovery,” said Bureau of Treasury Risk Management Division Chief, Armin Paul Allado during the online session.

He added:“We are confident that we can start the year with another successful offering as we look to raise 2.2 trillion pesos, around 75 percent of which or 1.6 trillion pesos will be sourced through the domestic market. In addition to financing the government's recovery, resilience and emergency programmes, funds will also be used to continue the trajectory of the massive infrastructure push of the Build Build Build programme which is aimed to maximising economic efficiency and thus, contributing to the government's target of GDP goal of seven to nine percent.”

On her opening remarks, Philippine Ambassador to South Korea, H E Maria Theresa Dizon-De Vega said:“Investment in government issued bonds and other financial instrument is always a sound investment, note that there is a government backing for this and at the same time, for this particular RTB, the proceeds will go to help the Philippine government in various sectors to recover from the effects of the pandemic and build better and move forward. Our Kababayan (Filipino expatriates) in the Middle East, Africa, Asia will greatly benefit from this session.”

Development Bank of the Philippines, Senior Manager Jose Angelo Abad said investing in RTB27 is investing with the Philippine government's various projects and programmes. The tenure is five years and is set to mature in 2027, while the interest rate is 4.875 percent per annum and interest payment is quarterly, and there is a 20 percent final withholding tax on interest income, he explained.

Priority of payment of RTB27 is equals to the financial obligation of the government, he explained. It is direct, unconditional, unsubordinated and general obligations of the Republic.

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