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

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

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