Philippines seen to lead Southeast Asia growth

The Philippines is projected to be the second fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia this year and the next, according to the World Bank.

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The multilateral lender's Global Economic Prospects report for January 2026 released yesterday showed that it expects the Philippines to grow by 5.3 percent this year from the estimated 5.1 percent expansion in 2025.

Both growth forecasts are unchanged from those provided by the World Bank in December last year.

While the World Bank's growth forecast for the Philippines for this year is within the government's five to six percent growth target, its estimate for last year is below the government's growth goal of 5.5 to 6.5 percent.

If realized, the Philippines will be the second fastest growing economy in Southeast Asia for this year and 2025.