Philenews

A Panicked Leadership Didn't See the Vicious Cycle Coming

Published February 18, 2026, 09:15
A Panicked Leadership Didn't See the Vicious Cycle Coming

The government and parties continue to legislate for the suspension of first home foreclosures, without addressing the root of the problem. According to Central Bank data, credit acquisition companies bought 141,478 loans for €3.2 billion, 80% lower than their value. Banks wrote down the loans by 80% to sell them to companies, while the companies demanded the full amount of the loans plus interest and charges, leading to an increase in non-performing loans. By June, companies had collected €5.7 billion, while the value of non-performing loans has risen to over €20 billion. Despite the foreclosure freeze, the problem remains, as the core issue – the excessive cost of loans and the inability to repay them – has not been addressed.