I’ll start with the developments and outlook in the Philippines, go through some challenges – from both the domestic and global fronts – that face us and how the BSP is helping to address these challenges. I would like you to focus on the top chart – this is the country’s quarterly GDP performance.
This chart tells us that since 1999 (or nearly 15 years ago), the Philippines has posted 60 quarters of consecutive, positive economic growth. Not even at the height of the Global Financial Crisis in 2008/9 did we register negative GDP growth.