Despite a critical outlook on trade and likelihood of higher interest rate and inflation and further depreciation of the peso this year, businessmen still remain optimistic the Philippine economy to either sustain if not surpass 2016’s GDP growth rate of 6.8 percent, a survey by the Makati Business Club (MBC) revealed.
In its First Semester Executive Outlook Survey for 2017, majority or 83 percent of the senior business executives of MBC members polled expect a higher or same level of GDP growth for 2017 compared to last year’s 6.8 percent growth rate. Only 17 percent of the respondents project a lower economic growth rate.