ZURICH, Switzerland — The Philippine government expects a strong full-year gross domestic product (GDP) growth for 2022, most likely much faster than its growth target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Benjamin Diokno said here on Jan. 16 (Switzerland time).
Diokno said this during a Monday luncheon hosted for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Philippine chief executive officers (CEOs) in Davos, Switzerland.
In addition, Diokno said the Philippine economy is seen to "grow by around 6.5 percent this year" due to the expected slowdown of the global economy.
"And that's still one of the highest, if not the highest, growth projection in the Asia-Pacific Region," he said.
According to Diokno, the country's bustling manufacturing sector, record-low unemployment, and stable and resilient banking system can alleviate buffers against external headwinds, all indicating a resilient economy.
Further, opening economic sectors to foreign equity, improving the ease of doing business, and allowing modern transformative industries to take root and grow will sustain the economy.
At the same time, the Finance chief said the Marcos government has created a more competitive and enabling environment through public-private partnership (PPP) to expand further the Build, Better, More infrastructure agenda of the administration.
Diokno said this would further boost investments on top of the government's goal to spend at least five to six percent of GDP on infrastructure, stressing all these form the backbone for the rapid and sustained growth of the Philippines.
But because of the current challenges, he said the Philippines is taking the first steps toward launching the Maharlika Investment Fund, the country's first-ever sovereign wealth fund that will support the goals set by the administration in the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.
"The fund, which will be established in keeping with the highest standards of accountability and sound fiscal management, aims to diversify the country's financial portfolio," Diokno said.
He added that he is looking forward to discussing the fund during the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos.
"May the next few days bring forth more intensive collaboration and cooperation towards genuine economic transformation," the DOF secretary said.
The President was joined by House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, former President and current Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Sen. Mark Villar, Rep. Ferdinand Marcos III, Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, Special Assistant to the President Antonio Lagdameo Jr. and Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista.