MANILA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Monetary Board, the policymaking body of the country's central bank, decided on Thursday to keep the interest rate on the overnight reverse repurchase (RRP) facility unchanged at 4.75 percent.
The interest rates on the overnight lending and deposit facilities were likewise held steady, according to a statement read by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo during a news conference.
Guinigundo said the decision was reached during the board's meeting on Thursday.
"The Monetary Board's decision is based on its assessment of a more manageable inflation environment," Guinigundo said.
Latest baseline inflation forecasts show inflation settling within the target band of 3.0 percent plus or minus 1.0 percentage point for 2019 to 2020, as price pressures continue to recede due to the decline in international crude oil prices and the normalization of supply conditions for key food items, he added.
Moreover, he said inflation expectations have also declined further and are now aligned to the inflation target for 2019 to 2020.
Guinigundo said domestic demand conditions have remained firm, supported by a projected recovery in household spending and the sustained implementation of the government's infrastructure program.
He added that the risks to the inflation outlook are seen to remain evenly balanced for 2019 while leaning toward the downside for 2020 given a more uncertain global economic environment, which in turn could temper potential upward pressures from commodity prices in the coming months.
"Given these considerations, the Monetary Board deems the prevailing monetary policy settings to be appropriate, as previous monetary responses continue to work their way through the economy," Guinigundo said.
The Monetary Board also emphasized that the BSP remains vigilant against developments that could affect the outlook for inflation and is prepared to take appropriate policy actions as necessary to safeguard its price and financial stability objectives, he added.
