By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
In a statement on Thursday, May 8, House Speaker Martin Romualdez expressed strong approval of the country’s 5.4% gross domestic product (GDP) growth reported by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in the first quarter of 2025.
The head of the 317-strong lower chamber of Congress declared that the uptick is akin to that of China and surpassing those of Southeast Asian neighbors Indonesia and Malaysia, which translates to more opportunities, increased investments, and rising government revenues.
“This growth means more than just numbers. It means jobs, livelihood, and greater economic activity in our communities. The economy is moving—and it’s moving in the right direction, because the President’s policies are working not only for investors and big businesses but more importantly for ordinary Filipinos,” Speaker Romualdez said.
“As more sectors grow, from manufacturing to construction, logistics, tourism, and digital services, we are seeing more hiring, more spending, and more money circulating in our barangays and local economies,” the Leyte lawmaker added.
He also expressed support for the country’s sustained economic growth by championing legislation aligned with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s approach to sustain the GDP’s rise, which is indicative of the Chief Executive’s “steady [and] competent hands.”
Among the chief sectors who primarily contributed to the first quarter 2025 year-on-year growth were wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, financial and insurance activities, and manufacturing.
Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projected a full-year growth of 5.5% for the Philippines in 2025, closely following the 5.6% expansion achieved in 2024.
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