The latest iteration of the United States’ tariffs could still mean a net positive for the Philippines, but this will only be very minimal and the country is still unlikely to hit the upper band of its target economic growth range of 6.0% to 8.0% this year, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said Monday.
In a briefing in the agency’s headquarters, Balisacan said simulations done by the NEDA indicate that a 10% levy on goods from Southeast Asian countries and a 125% rate on Chinese goods could drive the Philippine economy up, although very minimally—less than 0.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP).
“This time around it’s roughly something like 1.5%…