ORTIGAS CENTER, Pasig City — Although within-target economic growth remains achievable amid heightened global uncertainties, socioeconomic planning secretary Arsenio Balisacan has dampened the positive outlook by stating that hitting the upper end of this year's 6.0- to 8.0-percent goal might be out of reach.

In a press briefing, Balisacan, head of the former National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and ow reorganized as the Department of Economy, Planning and Development (DEPDev) disclosed that the government was keeping the target unchanged for now even as it remained watchful to ensure a quick response to significant developments.

"It's still too early to do any revisions at this point," he said, but with uncertainties unlikely to "disappear soon . . . the 8.0-percent [target] may not be a realistic assumption."

In December the previous year, government’s economic managers revised the 2025 growth goal from 6.5-7.5 percent amid worries over the pace of monetary policy easing and protectionist policies promised by then United States president-elect Donald Trump.

Those concerns have continued to mount as Washington launched trade wars against the US' biggest trading partners and also levied 'reciprocal' tariffs against other countries, including the Philippines which was slapped a 17-percent duty. However, as financial markets tanked and investors sold off US assets, Trump backtracked last week and delayed the implementation of the reciprocal tariffs by 90 days, although a 10-percent base rate has taken effect.

Despite these developments, government officials are saying that the Philippines could end up benefiting as neighboring countries were hit with tariffs as high as 49 percent, a viewpoint Balisacan reiterated to predict that we could become the region's manufacturing hub.

"The economic impact will likely be less than one percent, while the export sector could grow by an additional 1.5 percent as buyers turn to cheaper Philippine-made goods," he pointed out.

Still, the DEPDev chief cited that the Philippines should continue to act aggressively by initiating efforts to diversify its markets and attract foreign investments.

"We need to address the major investment constraints in the country because as I said, when things settle down, are we ready to attract investors?" he stressed.