'Gov't doing its best to hit growth goal'

The Marcos administration will make every effort to achieve this year’s economic growth target of 5.5 to 6.5 percent, Malacañang said yesterday.

- By HELEN FLORES and LOUELLA DESIDERIO

As it pushes toward that goal, the government is also set to release on Dec. 4 the downgraded export targets for 2025 to 2028 as part of the midterm update on the Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP).

“Muli, sinisikap ng Palasyo, sinisikap ng Pangulo na maabot natin kung ano iyong target po natin (Again, the Palace is making efforts to ensure that we reach our target),” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

“So, pagtutulung-tulungan po ng economic team ng Pangulo at also with the help of the people na sana maabot natin ang target (So, the President's economic team will work together, and also with the help of the people, hopefully we will reach our target),” she added.

Castro cited the ongoing “political noise” as among the factors that affect economic growth.

“Pagsisikapan pa rin po, especially with these kinds of rallies na nangyari po, medyo maingay po, talaga pong nakakaapekto ito sa ekonomiya (We will continue to strive, especially with these kinds of rallies that happened, the political noise, it somewhat affects the economy),” she said.

In a press conference on Monday, Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said achieving the government's 5.5 to 6.5 percent growth goal for the year is “very unlikely.”