Philippines - Market Overview (2024)

The Philippine economy grew by 5.7 percent in 2021, beating the government’s 5-5.5 percent target range and rebounding from the 9.5 percent pandemic-induced recession in 2020. This strong economic performance, the second fastest in ASEAN, brought the Philippines closer to its pre-pandemic 6.6 percent average gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate from 2012-2019. Economic activity picked up during the year, driven by increased private consumption due to eased mobility restrictions, business reopening, and improvement in labor market conditions. Philippine officials expect the country to achieve an upper middle-income status – a 2020 goal derailed by the pandemic – by 2023. The Philippines’ gross national income per capita was estimated at around $3,500 in 2021, below the World Bank’s upper middle-income range of $4,096 to $12,695.

The Philippine government expects the economy to expand by 7-8 percent in 2022. GDP grew by 8.3 percent in the first quarter, higher than the 6.7 percent forecast and reversing last year’s 3.8 percent economic contraction. This brought the GDP to $88 billion, exceeding its 2019 level. While strong domestic demand could help sustain the recovery momentum, external risks such as the Russian invasion of Ukraine, economic slowdown in China, global supply chain disruptions, and U.S. Federal Reserve rate hikes, cloud the overall economic outlook. Domestic risk factors, such as potential COVID-19 infection resurgence, rising inflation, and increasing budget deficits and debts, could also temper the 2022 economic growth. To meet the government’s GDP targets, officials support shifting all regions to the least restrictive COVID-19 alert level, boosting the vaccination rate, and fully resuming in-person schooling.

Consumer price inflation averaged a three-year high of 4.5 percent in 2021, faster than the 2.6 percent in 2020 and above the Central Bank’s 2-4 percent target band. Higher prices of meat, transport, and fuel were the top drivers of inflation for the year. Inflation pressures continue to build up through 2022, caused mainly by the Russian invasion of Ukraine that pushed up international oil and commodity prices. The inflation rate averaged 4.1 percent in January-May 2022, in line with the Central Bank’s expected annual average inflation rate of 4.6 percent. Rising domestic food, transport, and utility costs, as well as increased wages and transport fares, significantly increased the inflation expectations.

To tame rising inflation, the Philippines extended the lower most favored nation (MFN) tariff rates for pork and rice; reduced MFN rates for corn to 5 percent in quota (from 35 percent non-ASEAN) and 15 percent out-quota (from 50 percent); and eliminated the 7 percent MFN rate on coal. The Central Bank in May also raised its key policy interest rate by 25 basis points for the first time since 2018, bringing it to 2.25 percent from a historic low of 2 percent. This marks the Central Bank’s gradual exit from pandemic-induced monetary accommodation, which included a cumulative 200 basis points interest rate cut in 2020 and cash advances to the National Government as budgetary support. The Central Bank hinted at further increasing its policy interest rates by at least 50 basis points for the rest of the year to contain price pressures.

The balance of payments (BOP) position yielded a lower $1.3 billion surplus in 2021, from $16 billion in 2020. The current account ran a deficit of $6.9 billion, from $12 billion in surplus the previous year, mainly due to wider merchandise trade gap amidst the gradual reopening of the economy. Exports of goods rebounded by 12.4 percent, while imports of goods grew faster by 31.7 percent. Net receipts in the secondary income account ($29.5 billion) and trade in services ($14.2 billion) expanded during the year, supported by sustained flows of remittances from overseas Filipino workers and revenues from the business process outsourcing industry, respectively. Meanwhile, the capital account registered a 26.3 percent growth in net receipts to reach $80 million in 2021 from $63 million in 2020. The financial account recorded net inflows of $6.9 billion in 2021, the same level as in 2020. Net inflows in direct ($8 billion) and other investment ($6.2 billion) accounts were offset by net outflows in portfolio investment ($8 billion). The Philippines’ stock market ended lower by 0.2 percent in 2021, as continuing COVID-19 uncertainties and fears of global economic slowdown drove investor sentiments. The local currency bond market, on the other hand, grew by 14 percent in 2021, reaching $190 billion in outstanding debt securities. Government and corporate bonds comprised 85.5 percent and 14.5 percent of the market, respectively.

Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows rebounded after declining for three consecutive years and rose by 54% year-on-year to $10.5 billion in 2021. The Philippines continues to lag similarly sized and ranked ASEAN neighbors in attracting FDI. The United States — with an estimated $150 million in fresh investments in 2021, a 0.7% decrease from 2020 — ranks among the Philippines’ top investors. The Philippines slightly improved its competitiveness ranking in 2022 (Rank 48 from 52 the previous year in the Institute for Management Development World Competitiveness Report) but continues to lag among Asia-Pacific peers due to poor infrastructure and a decline in government and business efficiency. Investors also repeatedly cite government red tape, regulatory uncertainties, a slow judicial system, inconsistent application of laws by Local Government Units (LGUs), and corruption as challenges to doing business in the country. Meanwhile, the passage of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) in March 2021 as part of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) is expected to lure $4 billion in new investments in the next three years but is also estimated to erode government revenues by up to $10 billion in the next five years. CREATE, deemed a pillar in the government’s COVID-19 response, cuts the corporate income tax rate to 25% for large enterprises and 20% for micro, small, and medium enterprises, from the current 30%, in exchange for rationalization of fiscal incentives.

The Philippine Central Bank’s gross international reserves (GIR) stood at $108.8 billion as of the end-December 2021, down from $110.1 billion a year ago. As of April 2022, GIR remained high at $106.8 billion. The latest GIR level represents an ample external liquidity buffer, equivalent to 9.4 months’ worth of imports of goods and services and payments of primary income and about 7 times the country’s external debt based on original maturity and 5.5 times based on residual maturity.

Credit rating agencies Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s (S&P), and Fitch Ratings maintained the Philippines’ investment grade credit rating, although Fitch kept its outlook at “negative,” which suggests a credit downgrade is possible over the near-term. Fitch flagged the country’s deteriorating fiscal position due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but cited modest government debt relative to peers, ample international reserves, and still solid economic growth prospects despite the pandemic. The Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCRA) in April 2022 similarly affirmed the Philippines’ “A-” credit rating. S&P has assigned a “BBB+” rating since April 2019, two notches above the minimum investment grade and just below the “A” scale. Ratings from Fitch (“BBB”) and Moody’s (“Baa2”), meanwhile, are two steps below this scale.

The average unemployment rate eased to 7.8 percent in 2021, from 10.4 percent average in 2020. This translated to a 3.7 million unemployed labor force, lower than the 4.5 million in 2020. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, the Philippines’ unemployment rate hit an all-time high of 17.6 percent (7.3 million unemployed). Job quality remains a challenge, as the underemployment rate remained high at 15.9 percent in 2021. This nonetheless is an improvement from last year’s 16.4 percent underemployment rate, equivalent to about seven million looking for additional work and longer working hours. The labor market steadily improved as of April 2022, with the unemployment rate down to the lowest level since the pandemic at 5.7 percent (2.76 million). Meanwhile, the poverty rate rose to 23.7 percent as of the first semester of 2021. This was equivalent to more than 26 million living below the domestic poverty threshold of about $228 in monthly income. Before the COVID-19 crisis, the poverty incidence was down to 16.6 percent based on the 2018 survey, from 23.3 percent in 2015.

The political situation in the Philippines is stable, and the June 2022 change in administration was peaceful. Elected in 2016 for a single six-year term, former President Duterte has sustained historically high approval ratings. The Philippines experienced continued economic growth during his administration until it was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns in 2020. In 2020, the Duterte Administration relied on business closures and travel and social distancing restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, which has negatively impacted many sectors of the economy.

In May 2022, the Philippines elected President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by an overwhelming margin. President Marcos Jr. shared a few concrete economic proposals during his candidacy, including that he intends to lower consumer prices (currently inflated relative to wages due to rising fuel prices and global inflation), support Philippine farmers, and develop the country’s future energy security through nuclear energy (to replace coal-fired power in the long-term) and renewable energy (to help meet medium-term needs). President Marcos Jr. has named experienced technocrats for key economic positions, including nominating the Central Bank Governor as the new Secretary of Finance.

The Philippine government is consistently challenged by a lack of due process, checks and balances, systemic corruption, weak oversight and regulatory institutions, and an overburdened criminal justice system known for slow court procedures. The national government launched a crackdown on crime and illegal drugs at the beginning of the Duterte administration that has drawn criticism from both the international community and human rights groups for violating civil liberties and led to the opening of an investigation by the International Criminal Court in 2021 into whether the campaign constitutes a crime against humanity. The Administration of President Marcos Jr. has yet to articulate its program for combatting crime and illegal drugs.

Terrorist groups occasionally attack civilian targets, kidnap civilians – including foreigners – for ransom, and engage in armed attacks against government security forces. These groups have typically carried out their activities in the western and central regions of Mindanao, including the Sulu Archipelago and Sulu Sea. Although both Islamic State-East Asia affiliated terrorist groups and the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) are capable of conducting operations outside of the rural, southern Philippines, these attacks are rare in the more populous, urbanized northern areas of Luzon, which is home to more than half the country’s population and over two-thirds of GDP in 2020. The national government is attempting to end one of the longest-running militant insurgencies in Southeast Asia through a peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which resulted in the creation of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao in 2019.

U.S.-Philippines bilateral trade grew by 23.4% year-on-year in 2021 to $23.3 billion, recovering from the 11.4% decline the previous year due to the lockdown that restricted mobility of people and hampered the shipment of goods in and out of the country. However, headwinds in renewed supply chain bottlenecks are still observed. In 2021, the Philippines ranked as the 33rd largest export destination for U.S. products and the 30th largest source of U.S. merchandise imports. The U.S. trade deficit with the Philippines was $4.8 billion in 2021.

The United States was the Philippines’ fifth largest country supplier in 2021, with a 6.6% share of the country’s imports. The top two import sources of the Philippines were China and Japan, with 22.7% and 9.4% import share, respectively. The United States was the largest export market of the Philippines, with 15.9% of total exports value in 2021. It was followed by China, a very close second, which accounted for 15.5%.

Philippines - Market Overview (2024)

FAQs

How would you describe the market system in the Philippines? ›

The Philippines has a mixed economic system that includes a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. The Philippines is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

What are the 5 major problems that the Philippines is currently facing? ›

Poverty, lack of education, drug or substance abuse, vice, crime and unemployment are among the many problems that continue to batter them.

How will you describe the economy of the Philippines? ›

The Philippines is considered a newly industrialized country, which has an economy in transition from one based on agriculture to one based more on services and manufacturing. As of 2021, its GDP by purchasing power parity was estimated at $1.47 trillion, the 18th largest in the world.

What is the Philippines best known for explain your answer? ›

The Philippines is known for having an abundance of beautiful beaches and delicious fruit. The collection of islands is located in Southeast Asia and was named after King Philip II of Spain.

What is public market in the Philippines? ›

Palengke is an open air public market for just about anything you can imagine. From clothes to pots and pans, artwork to meat and vegetables, from music to jewelry, from tournament to cockfighting, and the very best restaurants – all can be found in the Filipino Palengke.

What are Filipino markets called? ›

A palengke (Chavacano: palenque) is a permanent wet market in the Philippines (differentiated from periodic wet markets called talipapa).

What is the biggest problem in Philippine economy nowadays? ›

high inflation during crisis periods; high levels of population growth; high and persistent levels of inequality (incomes and assets), which dampen the positive impacts of economic expansion; and.

What is the biggest problem in Philippines? ›

Infrastructure: The Philippines lags behind many of its neighbors in infrastructure development. Traffic congestion in Metro Manila continues to be a major problem. Prior to the pandemic, overcapacity in international airports across the country presented a significant impediment to development and tourism.

What are threats to Philippines today? ›

Hunting, poaching and flora collection follow human migration into upland areas, aggravating the threat to wildlife. Moreover, logged-over areas are often converted to kaingin (swidden) cultivation, clearing them of remaining vegetation.

What is the main economic industry of the Philippines? ›

The major industries of the Philippines include manufacturing and agribusiness. Within manufacturing, mining and mineral processing, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, electronics, and semiconductors are the focus areas. The Philippines is one of the most attractive pharmaceutical markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

How is the economy of the Philippines today 2022? ›

MANILA, December 6, 2022 – Driven by the release of pent-up demand from consumers, the Philippine economy is projected to surge to a 7.2% growth in 2022 before tapering off to an average of 5.7% percent growth in 2023, according to the Philippines Economic Update (PEU) released today by the World Bank.

What is the main economic goal of the Philippines? ›

In his first State of the Nation Address before a joint session of Congress, Marcos said his administration would aim for a 6.5% to 8% annual gross domestic product growth from 2023 through 2028, forecasting that the poverty rate would fall in that period to 9% from the current 23.7%.

Why is Philippines important to us? ›

The Philippines is strategically located in the Indo-Pacific and critical to U.S. national interests in the region. For one, the Philippines, the oldest ally in Southeast Asia, shares important security ties with the U.S. as a major non-NATO strategic partner.

What makes Filipinos unique and famous in the world why? ›

Hospitable – Filipinos are known for being welcoming and friendly. So much respect for the elderlies – One of the Filipino culture and values that locals are very proud of. Pagmamano or kissing the elder's head on the forehead – One of the most important Filipino culture and values.

What is the biggest market in the Philippines? ›

Quinta Market (Filipino: Pamilihang Bayan ng Quinta; Spanish: Mercado de la Quinta), also known as Quiapo Market and officially called the Quinta Market and Fishport since 2017, is a palengke (public market) on Carlos Palanca (formerly Echague) Street in Quiapo, Manila, in the Philippines, along the banks of the Pasig ...

Who are the key markets in the Philippines? ›

The United States was the largest export market of the Philippines, with 15.9% of total exports value in 2021. It was followed by China, a very close second, which accounted for 15.5%.

What are 4 types of market? ›

Economic market structures can be grouped into four categories: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and monopoly.

What are the 3 types of market? ›

The four popular types of market structures include perfect competition, oligopoly market, monopoly market, and monopolistic competition.

What are the best market in the Philippines? ›

  1. Divisoria Market. 429. ...
  2. Salcedo Saturday Market. 196. ...
  3. Baguio City Market. 148. ...
  4. Baclaran Market. 136. ...
  5. Taboan Public Market. 118. ...
  6. Maginhawa Food Park. Points of Interest & Landmarks • Flea & Street Markets. ...
  7. Malatapay Market. Flea & Street Markets. ...
  8. Carbon Market. Flea & Street Markets.

Is the Philippines a free market? ›

The Philippines' economic freedom score is 61.1, making its economy the 80th freest in the 2022 Index. The Philippines is ranked 15th among 39 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is above the regional and world averages.

What are the weaknesses of the Philippine economy? ›

The country's poor infrastructure, its weak institutions, high level of corruption and lack of innovation need to be addressed. Moreover, labor market rigidities, and overregulation will hamper the revival of the country's industrial sector.

Is the Philippines economy doing well? ›

The Philippines is well on its way to full recovery. After the pandemic-driven recession in 2020, the economy grew by 5.7 percent last year and sustained its robust momentum with an 8.3 percent growth in the first quarter of 2022.

How can Philippines improve its economy? ›

Strong domestic demand supported by a pick-up in employment and remittance inflows, private investment expansion, and large public infrastructure projects will underpin the country's recovery from the economic impact of the pandemic.”

What are the top 5 economic problems in the Philippines? ›

Among the issues that they address are food insecurity, hunger and poor nutrition, poor quality of education, land and housing insecurity, and poor sanitation.

Why is Philippines overpopulated? ›

The number one factor of it is unemployment. Nowadays most Filipinos are struggling in getting good jobs because of lack of education and because of having no job, people have no things to do and just stay in their house. Poverty is the second factor of having our country overpopulated.

What are the 3 main issues that Manila is facing today? ›

Among the many challenges faced by MetroManila, the National Capital Region of the Philippines, three appear as the most pressing issues for the everydaylife of its citizens: housing, flooding and traffic.

What is the weakness of the Philippines? ›

In my last column, “The Structural Weaknesses of the Philippine Economy,” I said that the recent economic data show the structural weaknesses of the Philippine economy: low agricultural productivity, weak export growth, and undiversified export base, with much export concentrated in low value-added electronics sector.

Is the Philippines progressing now? ›

The Philippines economy has shown strong growth momentum in early 2022, with GDP growth rising to 8.3% year-on-year (y/y) in the first quarter of 2022. The easing of domestic COVID-19 restrictions allowed the rebound of household consumption spending, which helped to drive strong economic growth.

What are the local issues in the Philippines? ›

List of Local Community Problems
  • Access to Clean Drinking Water.
  • Child Abuse and Neglect.
  • Crime.
  • Domestic Violence.
  • Drug Use.
  • Pollution.
  • Lack of Funding for Schools.
  • Ethnic Conflict.
Jul 11, 2022

What are the three 3 major economic sectors in the Philippines? ›

Services, industry, and agriculture are the main sectors of the Philippine economy.

What industry is booming in the Philippines? ›

E-Commerce Industry

The e-commerce sector is one of the industries expected to grow significantly in 2022. The pandemic hasn't stopped it from growing in 2020. The Department of Trade and Industry announced in 2021 that it intended to expand the e-commerce sector's share of the GDP to 5.5%.

What are the five major industries in the Philippines? ›

Top Industries in the Philippines to Invest in this 2021
  • Real Estate Industry. Real Estate remains a flourishing industry. ...
  • Construction Industry. ...
  • E-Commerce Industry. ...
  • Tourism Industry. ...
  • Manufacturing Industry. ...
  • IT, BPO, and Business Services. ...
  • Retail Industry. ...
  • Energy Industry.
Mar 30, 2021

Is inflation in the Philippines high? ›

Philippines Inflation Rate Highest in 14 Years

The annual inflation rate in the Philippines edged up to 8.1% in December 2022 from 8.0% in November, compared with market consensus of 8.2% and within the central bank's target range of 7.4% to 8.6% for the month.

What does the Philippines need to improve? ›

We need to develop the country's infrastructure. The Philippines has been investing little in physical capital compared to regional peers over the last two decades, so there's an opportunity to accelerate growth by investing in infrastructure. Second, the Philippines needs to sustain high productivity growth.

When did the Philippines have the best economy? ›

Between 1972 and 1979, the Philippines enjoyed its best economic development since 1945.

Is Philippines developed or developing? ›

According to the World Bank classification, the Philippines is a lower middle-income country with a GNI per capita equal to USD 3,430 in 2020 and one of the emerging market economies in the East Asia and the Pacific region boasting a globally-recognized competitive workforce.

Which goals are highly achievable in the Philippines? ›

  • Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger.
  • Achieve universal primary education.
  • Promote gender equality and.
  • Reduce child mortality.
  • Improve maternal health.
  • Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other.
  • Ensure environmental sustainability.
  • Develop a global partnership for.

Is the Philippines is a free market system economy? ›

The Philippines' economic freedom score is 61.1, making its economy the 80th freest in the 2022 Index. The Philippines is ranked 15th among 39 countries in the Asia–Pacific region, and its overall score is above the regional and world averages.

What is the best market system best suited in Philippines? ›

a mixed economy is the most ideal as it would as it would prevent companies from having too much control over the economy AND allow better gov't regulations on important commodities.

How would you describe the structure of the Philippine financial system? ›

The financial structure comprises the Monetary Authorities (Central Bank of the Philippines and the Ministry of Finance), 32 commercial banks, 931 rural banks, 10 savings banks, 37 development banks, 72 stock savings and loans associations, 250 finance companies, 12 investment houses, 59 investment companies, 448 ...

What kind of market is Philippine Stock Exchange? ›

It is a private non-profit and non-stock organization created to provide and maintain a fair, efficient, transparent and orderly market for the purchase and sale of securities such as stocks, warrants, bonds, options and others (Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc.).

What is the main source of economy in Philippines? ›

Industry and Trade

Services, industry, and agriculture are the main sectors of the Philippine economy. Food processing, cement, iron, and steel production, and telecommunications are among the country's most significant contributors.

What is the economic problems in the Philippines? ›

Among the issues that they address are food insecurity, hunger and poor nutrition, poor quality of education, land and housing insecurity, and poor sanitation. claws of poverty, many poor and even nonpoor households remain vulnerable (Mina and Imai 2016).

Why is Philippines an emerging market? ›

The Philippines has seen its economy grow rapidly since the 2000s, but the country still remains a developing economy with an average per-capita income far lower than developed countries. The country's economy has become increasingly reliant on services, which now make up more than 61% of its GDP.

Does Philippines has a good financial system? ›

Financial markets in the Philippines have developed considerably since the Asian Financial Crisis (AFC). Financial liberalisation, prudential supervision, and regulatory reforms have significantly improved the stability, efficiency, depth, and accessibility of the domestic financial markets and institutions.

What budgeting system is used in the Philippines? ›

Cash budgeting versus Obligation budgeting

Currently, the budgeting system practiced by the Philippine government is obligation budgeting. Under obligation budgeting, contracts awarded within the Fiscal Year (FY) can be delivered even after the end of the year.

What is the recent trends in the Philippine financial system? ›

Total assets of the PBS grew by 6.9 percent year-on-year (YoY) to P20. 8 trillion as of end- March 2022 (Figure 1). This growth rate was higher than the 5.7 percent rate in March 2021.

How many stock markets are there in the Philippines? ›

Philippine Stock Exchange
Pamilihang Sapi ng Pilipinas
No. of listings281 (2022)
Market cap₱ 18.25 trillion (February 2022) $ 291.47 billion (March 2022)
IndicesPSEi PSE Dividend Yield Index PSE MidCap Index
Websitewww.pse.com.ph
8 more rows

How important is the stock market to the Philippine economy? ›

The more buoyant the stock market and the lower the unemployment, the higher is real national output. In this sense, stock market performance drives the Philippine economy to perform well, alongside with the imperative for job creation from both private and public sectors.

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