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Ni Estong Reyes
HINIKAYAT ni Senador Chiz Escudero ang economic managers ng Marcos administration na itaas ang tinutudlang gross domestic product (GDP) upang mapanatili ang pamamahala sa debt-to-GDP ratio sa manageable level.
Sa ginanap na sesyon ng plenaryo, sinabi ng beteranong mambabatas na kailangan suyurin ang lahat ng posibilidad sa pagpapanatili ng debt-to-GDP ratio habang naghain ng manipestasyon bago aprubahan at ratipikahan ang bicameral conference committee report sa 2024 national budget.
Binanggit ni Escudero na sa nakalipas na anim na taon ng Duterte administration at unang anim na buwan ng administrasyon, nakapagtala ang bansa ng P13.6-trillion debt sa 2023.
Sinabi ni Escudero na kung uutang ang bansa ng P2.3 trilyon kada taon, aabot sa P27.4 trilyon ang utang ng Pilipinas sa pagtatapos ng Marcos administration sa 2028, na nagsimula sa P13.6-trillion debt.
“In 2023, we borrowed P2.2 trillion; in 2024 we are slated to borrow P2.4 trillion. If we average our borrowing for the next four years half way at P2.3 trillion per year, by the end of President Marcos’s term in 2028, our debt which stood at P13.6 trillion will be P27.4 trillion. That means, if we are to maintain a 60-percent debt-to-GDP ratio, our GDP, Mr. President, should double by 2028,” giit ni Escudero kay Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri.
“I hope we will keep that in mind as we go through the next four years and approve the budget for the succeeding years, so that we have always at the back of our mind every possibility to increase our GDP, so not only for our debt-to-GDP ratio to remain at a manageable 60 percent but also to ensure that the quality of life of the Filipinos will continue to improve as we continue on increasing our indebtedness as well,” paliwanag pa ni Escudero.
