VANCOUVER, Canada — Sinabi ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na hindi siya nababahala sa posibleng epekto ng bagong upper-middle-income status ng Pilipinas sa foreign loans, dahil maaari umano itong magbukas ng mas maraming investments para sa bansa.
Sa media briefing matapos ang kaniyang joint statement kasama si Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sa Vancouver Convention Center nitong Huwebes, Hulyo 2, sinabi ni Marcos na kailangang maging “less dependent on just straight-out foreign grants” ang Pilipinas kasunod ng reclassification ng World Bank.
“I do not worry, we were discussing this earlier today, and I don’t think that it will lead to an increase in interest rates for loans, for example, but we do believe the effect will be on the grants that are given,” pahayag niya.
“But nonetheless, that means in a way that can be interpreted as the World Bank saying, ‘you know, we no longer need that, and we will replace that with investment.’ And that, I think, is a very, very important development for the Philippines and its economy,” dagdag ni Marcos Jr.
Maaaring makaapekto ang upper-middle-income status ng Pilipinas sa eligibility nito para sa official development assistance at concessional financing.
Ayon kay Marcos, “worked very, very hard” ang kaniyang administrasyon sa nakalipas na apat na taon upang gawing “more investment-friendly destination” ang Pilipinas para sa mga lokal at dayuhang investors.
Samantala, tinawag naman ni Carney ang reclassification bilang “positive sign for the Philippines” at kinilala ang mahalagang papel ng private sector sa kabuuang development.
“[L]et’s take the good with the good… This doesn’t happen, it’s not something that reflects the latest economic statistic, a good quarter. It is something more broad and development that’s been built over the course of the recent years,” pahayag niya. RNT
