Philippines: Financial Inclusion Rises Among Women, Youth

Source: ABS-CBN News

Financial inclusion in the Philippines has seen significant gains among women and young adults, even as more Filipinos shift toward regulated banking and digital services, a central bank report said Wednesday. 

The 2025 Consumer Finance and Inclusion Survey (CFIS), released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), showed that women have overtaken men in bank account ownership. Female ownership rose to 25 percent in 2025, up from 20 percent in 2021, while male ownership for the same period was recorded at 22 percent. Young adults aged 15 to 19 also saw a sharp rise in financial access, with account ownership jumping to 34 percent from 27 percent in 2021. The central bank credited the growth to its ongoing national strategy to broaden financial services through 2028.