Philippines growth likely to be below government target this year, Balisacan says

December 3, 2025 - 1:31 PM
2026
Construction workers are pictured at the construction site of an apartment building in Pasay, Metro Manila in the Philippines May 22, 2017. (Reuters/Erik De Castro/File Photo)

— The Philippines is very unlikely to meet even the lower end of its target range for growth this year, Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said on Monday.

The government has a growth target of 5.5% to 6.5% this year. Gross domestic product grew 4.0% in the third quarter from a year earlier, significantly weaker than the 5.5% expansion recorded in the previous quarter.

Next week the government is due to review its medium-term fiscal and growth targets, including a growth target of 6.0% to 7.0% for 2026-2028.

—Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by John Mair