Ekonomiya ng Pilipinas babalik sa pre-pandemic levels sa huli ng 2022 o simula ng 2023- NEDA

Ekonomiya ng Pilipinas inaasahang babalik sa pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels sa huling bahagi ng susunod na taon, ayon sa estimates ng National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Sa deliberation ng House Committee on Apropriation, sa inimungkahing P5.04-trillion national budget para sa taong 2022, ayon kay Socioeconomic Planning Secretary at NEDA chief Karl Kendrinck Chua, ang recovery prospects para sa 2021 ay nananatiling encouraging.

“[This] will allow us to recover to pre-pandemic levels some time at the end of 2022, if not early 2023,” sabi ni Chua.

“This will also help prevent long-term scarring and productivity losses,” dagdag pa niya.

Lumaki ang gross domestic product ng bansa sa 11.8% nitong Abril hanggang Hunyo 2021, ito ang highest quarterly reading sa loob ng 32 na taon, malaking dahilan nito ay sa “low base effect” mula noong 2020 na nasa -16.9%.

Ang second quarter ng 2020 ay ang period na halos lahat ng economiya ay nag shut down dahil sa pagpapatupad ng enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) para mapigilan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19.

Habang ang pag-alis sa pandemic-induced recession ay isang welcome development, ang ekonomiya ng Pilipinas ay malayo pa ring maabot ang growth levels nito noong taong 2019, bago ang COVID-19 crisis.

“The first half GDP at constant prices is estimated at P8.9 trillion. This is higher by 3.7% versus the first half of 2020 estimated at about P8.6 trillion,” pahayag ni National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa.

“Pre-pandemic, 2019, the first half of 2019 at constant prices is P9.4 trillion, and the P8.9 trillion first half of 2021 is lower by 6% compared to the first half of 2019,” dagdag pa niya.

Ni-revised naman ng Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) ang kanilang growth assumption para sa 2021 mula sa 6% to 7% range na naging 4% to 5% “in light of the reimposition of stricter mobility restrictions in various areas of the country to effectively address the heightened risks brought about by the COVID-19 Delta variant.”

Nakasalalay sa bilis ng vaccination rollout ng government, ang economic team upang mapanatili ang growth targets para sa 2022 sa 7% to 9% at para sa 2023 at 2024 ay nasa 6% hanggang 7%.

Ayon kay Chua, ang enablers sa economic recovery ng bansa, ay umaasa sa acceleration ng vaccination program, safe re-opening ng ekonomiya habang patuloy na sinusunod ang health protocols, at ang full implementation ng recovery packages tulad ng 2021 budget, Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Act (CREATE) at Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer (FIST) law.

Reports from GMA News By TED CORDERO