Western Visayas Leads PH Growth in 2025 with 6.4% Expansion
Iloilo City – Western Visayas emerged as the country’s fastest-growing regional economy in 2025, posting a 6.4 percent expansion that pushed its total output to PHP683.44 billion, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA Regional Director Nelida Amolar said the growth marked a strong acceleration from the 4.4 percent recorded in 2024, translating to an additional PHP40 billion in goods and services produced.
All major sectors contributed to the expansion, with agriculture, forestry, and fisheries (AFF) staging a significant rebound—growing by 9.5 percent after a 7.4 percent contraction the previous year. The sector accounted for 14.9 percent of the regional economy.
The industry sector also posted steady growth at 4.3 percent, making up 18.6 percent of output, while the services sector—despite slowing to 6.3 percent from 7.5 percent—remained dominant with a 66.5 percent share.
On the expenditure side, household spending led growth, with household final consumption expenditure (HFCE) rising by 5.3 percent and contributing the largest share. Net exports and government spending also supported the expansion despite some deceleration.
Arecio Casing Jr. of the Department of Economy, Planning and Development said the region not only exceeded its growth target of 5 to 5.5 percent but also outperformed the national growth rate.
He noted that the region’s economic gains were accompanied by improving social indicators, including a low unemployment rate of 4.1 percent and a single-digit poverty incidence of 9.8 percent among families.
Casing emphasized that the rebound in agriculture was driven by improved production conditions following the effects of El Niño, highlighting the importance of climate-resilient farming, mechanization, and continued government support.
Despite moderate growth, the services sector remains the backbone of the regional economy, supported by tourism, business services, and digital transformation.
Looking ahead, Casing said Western Visayas is entering 2026 with a strong and balanced economic foundation—anchored on a recovering agriculture sector, infrastructure-driven industry growth, and a resilient services sector.
He added that the challenge moving forward is to sustain momentum by shifting toward investment-driven and productivity-led development while continuing to generate jobs and reduce poverty.
NPO News Team | Philippine News Agency - PR
