Gov't flags spending, supply risks

While still up- beat about the 2025 growth target, National Socioeconomic Planner Arsenio M. Balisacan flagged a slowdown in government spending and tight- ening supply as risks that could hamper growth acceleration.

- BY DERCO ROSAL

On the sidelines of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines' (ECCP) European-Philippine Business Dialogue (EPBD), Balisacan noted that hitting the lower end of the downscaled growth target of 5.5 to 6.5 percent remains within reach.

"The low end of the range is still very much achievable. We will see," Balisacan told reporters on Thursday, Oct. 16.

However, Balisacan noted that if the local economy fails to expand by at least 5.5 percent, it could only fall short by around 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points (ppt). "Statistically, they’re not too different," he asserted.