PH ‘back on its feet’ following pandemic, amid conflicts – Marcos

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declares that the Philippines has recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple world conflicts during the annual Vin D’ Honneur at the Malacañan Palace in Manila on Thursday, January 11, 2024. Photo from PCO

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared that the Philippines has already recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple world conflicts.

According to a Palace statement on Friday, the Chief Executive made the pronouncement during the annual Vin D’ Honneur in Malacañang for the New Year, telling various foreign dignitaries in attendance that he hoped they could continue to work with the Philippine government to look for areas of cooperation.

“It is with confidence that I announce that the Philippines has… I could say [has] gotten back [on] its feet from the reeling effect of the pandemic and the subsequent shocks that we have suffered from the Ukraine war and now from the conflict in the Middle East,” Marcos said in a speech, as quoted in the statement.

The Palace then cited the government’s catch-up spending, which, it noted, may result in an economic growth target of 6 to 7 percent.

READ: Below target: GDP seen to grow 6% in 2024

Marcos said the Philippines is believed to be one of the fastest-growing Asian countries, referring to reports from the Asian Development Bank, the Asean + 3 Macroeconomic Research Office, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.

Marcos also said, however, that amid global conflicts, he hoped there was “sincere motivation to work together and tap the power of the collective in finding ways to solve political conflict to achieve peace and prosperity for all.”