Manila: The Philippines external debt rose in the first quarter of 2025, due to increased borrowings by the national government and the banking sector, the Philippine central bank said, yesterday. According to Nam News Network, the outstanding external debt reached 146.74 billion U.S. dollars at the end of March, up 6.6 percent from the previous quarter, and 14 percent year-on-year. This was equivalent to 31.5 percent of the country's gross domestic product, higher than the 29.8 percent recorded in the prior quarter, but still indicative of a manageable debt level, the BSP added.