MANILA: Philippine economy grew at a pace of 6.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2016, bringing the full-year growth of 6.8 percent, the government announced Thursday.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said that the 6.6-percent growth in the last quarter of 2016 is a testament that the country’s economy remains robust and grows at a steady rate.
“Economic growth from the first to the last quarter of 2016 has been very encouraging, with an average full-year growth of 6.8 percent,” Pernia said in a televised press briefing.
The 2016 fourth quarter growth is lower than the 7-percent growth in the third quarter but it is higher than the 6.3 percent growth during the fourth quarter of 2015.
The full-year growth recorded is along the high-end of the government’s target of 6 to 7 percent growth for 2016.
