THE ECONOMY is expected to post gross domestic product (GDP) growth of at least 6.5% in 2022, with minimal impact from the new coronavirus variant and the national elections providing a boost, the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) said on Tuesday.
FFCCCII President Henry Lim Bon Liong said at the Pandesal Forum on Tuesday that “2022 will be a good year for economic recovery for Asia, especially for the Philippines.”
“Actually ’yung 6.5%, conservative pa nga ’yun eh. (The 6.5% estimate is conservative) We are looking at 7.5% …we don’t rely on statistics, but we rely on the (input) of our friends from business because FFCCCII is an umbrella of 70 different business organizations,” he said at the forum in Quezon City.
“Everybody has been optimistic regarding our recovery next year…. Itong bagong variant na ito, ’di talaga ito aapekto sa Pilipinas (This new Omicron variant will not have much of an impact on the Philippines).”
“Nakikita natin na medyo bumababa ang mga COVID (We are seeing the decline of COVID cases) and hopefully this will continue. And then there will be also (an) election.”
Asked what the federation is expecting from the next government, Mr. Lim Bon Liong said: “We are looking for a President that will give the priority to agriculture and education.”
Mr. Lim Bon Liong said the federation has so far raised P12 million for victims of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai), with its member associations dispatching relief packs containing rice, instant noodles and canned sardines to Negros Occidental, Southern Leyte, Western Samar, Surigao City and Cagayan de Oro City.
Last year, FFCCCII’s Chinese Community Calamity Fund raised P300 million for COVID-19 relief nationwide, providing face masks and other medical supplies to individual beneficiaries as well as laboratory equipment for the Philippine Red Cross. — Jaspearl Emerald G. Tan
