The Philippine economy grew 5.4% in the first quarter of 2025, driving more jobs, higher incomes, and stronger businesses, Malacañang said. The growth reflects the Marcos administration’s aggressive push for economic development.
The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 5.4 percent in the first quarter of 2025, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said. This resulted in more productive businesses, increased employment, and higher earnings for many Filipinos.
GDP measures the total value of goods and services produced and is a key indicator of economic health.
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the Philippines ranked second among Asian economies with available Q1 data. The country followed Vietnam (6.9%) and tied with China (5.4%), while outperforming Indonesia (4.9%), Malaysia (4.4%), and Thailand (2.8%).
The country’s performance “underscores the relative resilience of our economy in the face of global volatility,” according to Balisacan.
During the Labor Day celebration, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. pointed to strong economic performance, citing a 2024 unemployment rate of 4.3%—the lowest in two decades. He added that the rate dropped further to 3.8% in February 2025, showing continued labor market gains.
Since taking office in 2022, Marcos Jr. said over 350,000 jobs have been created through government programs and public-private partnerships. Foreign investments from 2022 to 2024 have reached US$27 billion.IMT
