Philippine growth sinks to new post-pandemic low of 2.3% in Q2 2026
Amid both external and domestic challenges, the Philippines’ economic growth weakened further to a new post-pandemic low of 2.3 percent in the second quarter of 2026, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday, Aug. 7.
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed from 2.8 percent in the first quarter and 5.4 percent in the second quarter of 2025.
Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan told a press conference that the country’s GDP needs to grow by 4.4 percent in the second half of the year to achieve the lower end of government’s downgraded growth target of 3.5 to 4.5 percent for 2026.
PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Claire Dennis S. Mapa said the second-quarter 2026 growth figure is the lowest since the 1.8 percent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2009, if the Covid-19 pandemic years are not included. - Danielle T. Bayani