MANILA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippines' gross international reserves (GIR) rose to 107.5 billion U.S. dollars as of March, according to the preliminary data released by the Philippine central bank on Tuesday.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said the latest GIR level provides a robust external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 7.1 months' worth of imports of goods and payments of services, and primary income. Moreover, it covers 3.9 times the country's short-term external debt based on residual maturity.

The GIR at the end of March saw a decline from 110.8 billion U.S. dollars as of the end of 2025.

The GIR consists of foreign-denominated securities, foreign exchange, and other reserve assets, including gold. The reserves serve as a buffer against external economic shocks, enabling a country to pay for its imports, service its foreign debt obligations and stabilize its currency. ■