“We want to feel the gains that economic reports describe”
Recent economic assessments make it clear the Philippines continues to perform well by regional standards, even as global uncertainties persist.
Multilateral institutions forecast that our GDP will grow by 5.6 percent in 2025 and 5.5 percent in 2026, the strongest projection in the ASEAN+3 subregion (Regional Economic Outlook (AREO).
These numbers reflect an economy supported by stable domestic consumption and a labor market that continues to absorb workers.
This looks good on paper. yet the experience of many Filipino consumers tells a different story.
While growth figures look encouraging, households continue to navigate rising prices that cut into their daily budgets.
According to a Pulse Asia survey conducted last September, 54 percent of our people see controlling inflation as the country’s most urgent concern.
An overwhelming 91 percent pointed to food as the area where they feel the strongest price increases.
This is the reality in markets and grocery aisles nationwide: families trying to stretch earnings while goods grow more expensive.
This is why economic security has become such a critical issue.
It captures not only the ability of households to meet daily needs but also their confidence in what lies ahead. And here, governance plays a defining role.
The same survey showed that 51 percent of Filipinos consider fighting corruption the second most urgent national priority.
People understand that corruption drains resources, weakens services, and disrupts efforts to stabilize prices. Inclusive and accountable governance is no longer seen as a political aspiration. It is viewed as a necessary condition for economic stability.
These themes were echoed during the Stratbase Group’s Pilipinas Conference last Nov. 21.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon, Ombudsman Boying Remulla, DOE Secretary Sharon Garin, and DENR Secretary Raphael Lotilla each highlighted the link between good governance and economic resilience.
Their message was straightforward: when government institutions work with transparency, investors respond with confidence. In turn, investments bring jobs, raise incomes, and expand competition, which helps pull prices down.
For ordinary consumers, this alignment between governance and economic outcomes is what determines whether national growth becomes a lived experience.
The administration’s recent moves suggest it understands this connection.
In the President’s latest State of the Nation Address and the Cabinet appointments that followed, there is renewed emphasis on tackling inflation, improving governance, and strengthening economic security.
These priorities reflect what consumers themselves have been calling for: practical, meaningful improvements in daily life.
Such actions matter because consumers judge progress not by policy speeches but by whether their weekly expenses feel lighter and their access to services becomes easier.
The appointment of Frederick Go as Secretary of Finance is consistent with this direction.
Secretary Go has built a reputation for bringing in investments and driving coordinated economic initiatives across agencies.
His experience in both government and business gives him the tools to help manage the country’s finances in a way that encourages growth while protecting consumers.
If his efforts succeed in simplifying processes, expanding investment pipelines, and increasing market competition, the benefits will show up in more jobs, fairer prices, and better services for Filipino families.
These are the outcomes consumers look for when they hear about reforms in the country’s economic team.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto’s leadership further reinforces this momentum. With his extensive experience in economic legislation and his role in championing the CREATE MORE law, he brings a disciplined approach to improving how government operates.
When policies are better coordinated and implementation becomes more efficient, consumers feel the impact in the form of stable prices, accessible public services, and a more predictable economic environment.
This level of coherence across agencies can spell the difference between slow-moving programs and reforms that genuinely improve the lives of ordinary Filipinos.
What we want as consumers is simple.
We want to feel the gains that economic reports describe.
We want prices that stay within levels we can realistically cope with.
We want reliable transportation, quality public services, and jobs that offer dignity and security.
Reaching these goals requires pairing strong fundamentals with governance that keeps our interests at the center.
And it requires a government that listens to our concerns not only during crises but as part of consistent, long-term planning.
The Philippines has the numbers to show that it is moving in the right direction.
Now it must prove that this momentum can lift Filipino households, not just economic indicators.
If the government follows through on its commitments to transparency, accountability, and investment-driven growth, then a more secure and prosperous future becomes something people can count on, not just hope for.
