MANILA, Philippines- Kumpiyansang sinabi ni National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan na makakamit ng Pilipinas sa 2025 ang maging isang ‘upper-middle income economy.’
“We have a good chance of attaining upper middle-income country status in 2025,” ang sinabi ni Balisacan sa isang year-end press conference ng NEDA sa Mandaluyong City, araw ng Biyernes.
Sa ngayon, nananatili ang Pilipinas sa lower middle-income economy sa ilalim ng pinakabagong klasipikasyon ng World Bank, habang ang gross national income (GNI) per capita ng bansa ay $3,950 noong 2022 ay bumagsak sa loob ng bracket para sa lower middle-income economies na $1,136–$4,465, na tumaas mula sa $1,086–$4,255 sa nakalipas na taon.
“For the current fiscal year 2024, the World Bank classifies low-income economies as those with a GNI per capita of $1,135 or less in 2022; lower middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $1,136 and $4,465; upper middle-income economies are those with a GNI per capita between $4,466 and $13,845; and high-income economies are those with a GNI per capita of $13,845 or more,” ayon sa NEDA.
Sa kasalukuyan, kasama ng Pilipinas sa lower-middle income bracket ang Vietnam ($4,010 GNI per capita); Laos ($2,360); Cambodia ($1,700); at Myanmar ($1,210).
“It trailed behind its neighbors, which are in the upper-middle income level: Malaysia ($11,780); Thailand ($7,230); and Indonesia ($4,580), which moved up this year from a lower-middle income status,” ang sinabi pa rin ng NEDA.
Samantala, ang Singapore ($67,200) at Brunei ($31,410) ay nasa high-income bracket.
“Attaining this status will require that we achieve our growth target this year, that we maintain our growth trajectory in 2025, and our currency will not weaken significantly relative to the currencies of our major trading partners,” ang sinabi naman ni Balisacan.
Sa unang tatlong quarters ng 2024, ang ekonomiya, sinukat sa pamamagitan ng gross domestic product (GDP) —ang kabuuang halaga ng kalakal at serbisyo na pinrodus (produce) sa nasabing panahon, lumago ng 5.8%, bahagyang mababa sa target band ng gobyerno.
Nagtakda naman ang administrasyong Marcos ng 6% hanggang 7% GDP growth target para sa 2024 at 6.5% hanggang 7.5% goal para sa taong 2025.
Idagdag pa rito, sinabi ni Balisacan na ang layunin ng pamahalaan ay “goal of reducing nationwide poverty to a single-digit rate by 2028 remains achievable.”
Noong 2023, ang poverty rate ng bansa ay 15.5% mula 18.1% noong 2021.
Pagdating naman sa magnitude, mayroong 17.54 milyong mahihirap na Filipino noong 2023, na mas mababa kaysa sa 19.99 milyong mahihirap na Filipino noong 2021.
“Despite high inflation, we have already made remarkable strides, with poverty falling to 15.5% in 2023 from 18.1% in 2021. Maintaining low and stable prices is critical to reducing poverty and making economic growth more inclusive. We will continue to enhance our social protection programs, particularly through digital solutions enabled by the National ID, to protect our gains and ensure that no one is left behind,” ang litaniya ni Balisacan. Kris Jose
