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Back to headlinesAugust 20, 2026, 1:00 AM PHT

Economy · Markets

Philippine Peso Closes at ₱61.815 Against US Dollar, Near Historic Low

The local currency lost three centavos from the previous session as higher global oil prices and domestic weather disruptions added pressure.

By FMB News DeskPublished August 20, 2026, 1:00 AM PHT2 min read
FMB News editorial visual for the Philippine peso and US dollar exchange rateFMB News editorial visual
FMB News editorial visual accompanying the Philippine peso market update.FMB News editorial visualLicense details

Why this matters to Filipinos

FMB News connects the verified facts and evidence in this report to the decisions, costs, opportunities, and risks that may affect Filipinos, Philippine communities, and the country.

Editorial standard: Sources are listed below. Verified reporting, attributed claims, uncertainty, and analysis remain distinct.

Verified facts

What happened

The Philippine peso closed at ₱61.815 against the US dollar on Wednesday, August 19, according to the approved FMB News overnight package citing Bankers Association of the Philippines spot-market data.

That was three centavos weaker than Tuesday's ₱61.785 close. The package reports total spot trading volume of $1.14 billion and describes the finish as the currency's second-weakest on record.

Context

Context · What's driving the move

Market commentary cited in the package points to higher international crude-oil prices and domestic supply-chain disruption from prolonged monsoon rains as pressures on the peso.

Filipino relevance

Why this matters

A weaker peso can raise the local-currency cost of imported fuel, food and other goods, although it also increases the peso value of dollar-denominated remittances when converted locally.

What to watch next

What to watch next

Markets will be watching oil prices, domestic weather conditions, dollar demand and any Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas signals on excessive foreign-exchange volatility.

Sources and public record

Bankers Association of the Philippines / Inquirer Business: Peso market close cited by the approved FMB News package (August 19, 2026, 7:00 PM PHT)BusinessWorld Online: Market commentary for August 19, 2026 (August 20, 2026, 12:00 AM PHT)