PH economy expands 5.2% in the third quarter

MAKATI SKYLINE / MAY 11, 2020 Clear skies illuminate the Makati skyline on Monday, May 11, 2020 on the 58th day of the extended enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Only certain parts of the National Capital Region, which accounts for the majotiry of CoVid19 cases in the coutry , may be placed under general community quarantine (GCQ) after May 15, according to presidential spokesperson Harry Roque. INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
By Mariedel Irish U. Catilogo
Philippine Daily Inquirer / 12:18 PM November 07, 2024
https://business.inquirer.net/488792/ph-economy-expands-5-2-in-the-third-quarter

The Philippine economy grew by 5.2 percent in the third quarter of the year, sharply slower than the revised 6.4 percent growth in the previous quarter, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Thursday.

Mainly due to weather disruptions which hampered various sectors, the third quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth placed below the government’s 6 to 7 percent target for the year, marking the lowest expansion since the 4.3 percent in the second quarter last year.This was also lower than the 5.9 percent average forecast in an Inquirer poll of nine economists conducted last week.

National Economic and Development Authority Secretary Arsenio Baliscan said that the economy needs to grow by 6.5 percent more in the last quarter of the year to achieve the Marcos administration’s growth target.

The PSA attributed the expansion from the wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles which grew by 5.2 percent. This was followed by activities in the financial and insurance sector at 8.8 percent and construction at 9 percent.

In terms of demand, household final consumption accelerated by 5.1 percent, faster than the 4.7 percent in the second quarter but remains unchanged compared with last year.

Meanwhile, state spending eased by 5 percent from the double-digit growth of 11.9 percent in the previous quarter and 6.7 percent a year ago.

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This was the slowest since the 1.7 percent in the first three months.

Gross capital formation, the investment component of the economy, accelerated by 13.1 percent from 11.6 percent in the April-to-June period and a turnaround from the 0.3 percent shortfall last year.

Net primary income from the rest of the world placed at 19.3 percent, easing from 25.7 percent in the previous quarter and the 112.6 percent growth a year ago.