MANILA, Philippines (Updated 6:21 p.m.) — Nakapagtala ng 5.9% na paglago ang gross domestic product (GDP) ng Pilipinas sa ikatlong kwarto ng 2023, ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) ngayong Huwebes.
Sinusukat ng GDP ang halaga ng lahat ng produkto at serbisyong iniluluwal ng isang bansa sa isang takdang panahon, bagay na madalas gamitin bilang batayan kung malusog o matamlay ang ekonomiya.
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"The main contributors to the third quarter 2023 growth were: Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 5.0 percent; Financial and insurance activities, 9.5 percent; and Construction, 14.0 percent," sabi ng PSA ngayong Huwebes.
"Major economic sectors, namely: Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, Industry, and Services all posted positive growths in the third quarter of 2023 with 0.9 percent, 5.5 percent, and 6.8 percent, respectively."
Una nang nakita ng mga ekonomistang makababawi ang ekonomiya sa ikatlong kwarto mula sa pagbulusok nito sa 4.3% noong Q2 sa gitna ng matinding inflation rate at interest rates. Bago ito, tatlong sunud-sunod na quarters ang pagbagal ng economic growth.
Sa demand side, lumaki ang household final consumption expenditure ng 5% habang nakapagtala naman ng 6.7% AT 2.6% ang government final consumption expenditure (GFCE) at exports of goods and services.
Samantala, lumiit naman ang gross capital formation (1.6%) at imports of goods and services (1.3) sa kwartong ito.
"The Gross National Income (GNI) grew by 12.1 percent in the third quarter of 2023. Likewise, Net Primary Income (NPl) from the Rest of the World grew by 112.5 percent during the period," patuloy ng PSA.
'Job destroying growth'
Bagama't sumirit pataas ang GDP growth, hindi naman nangangahulugang ramdam ito ng taumbayan, wika ni IBON Foundation executive director Sonny Africa.
"The reported 5.9% growth in Q3-23 from the year before isn't just jobless but is job-destroying. Over the same period, employment contracted 1.7% (i.e., -1.7% growth) or by 825,000 from 47.6 million to 46.8 million," wika ni Africa sa panayam ng Philstar.com.
"The biggest job losses were in trade which fell by 12.2% or lost 1.3 million jobs and in agriculture which fell 3.1% or lost 335,000 jobs. These are two sectors with the biggest informality and irregular work from not being developed properly by the govt."
Miyerkules lang nang ibalita ng gobyernong lumobo sa 2.26 milyon ang walang trabaho sa Pilipinas nitong Setyembre 2023, ang ika-2 sunod na buwan ng pagtaas ng kawalang trabaho sa bansa.
Katumbas ito ng 4.5% unemployment rate, bagay na mas matindi kaysa sa naitala noong Agosto.
Kahapon lang nang sabihin ni Africa na mas mataas pa sana ang unemployment rate na ito kung hindi umalis sa labor force — ibig sabihin, sumuko na sa paghanap ng trabaho — ang 358,000 katao, na siyang net decrease sa labor force.
"Worryingly, the third biggest job losses were in manufacturing which contracted by 6.8% or lost 261,000 jobs. Real domestic manufacturing should be the most reliable source of jobs, income and economic dynamism," dagdag pa ni Africa.
"The growth is grossly superficial because it isn't resulting in more work and higher family incomes for tens of millions of poor and vulnerable Filipino families."
Una nang sinabi ng economic think tank na dapat mabigyan ng agarang ayuda ang lahat ng mga apektado ng mataas na jobless rate lalo na't mahigit 18 milyong pamilya ang walang ipon sa ikatlong kwarto ng 2023 ayon mismo sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.
Lumabas ang mga naturang datos ng mas mataas na unemployment rate kahit na bumagsak sa 4.9% ang inflation rate dahil sa "mas mabagal" na pagtaas ng presyo ng pagkain.