Inclusive growth at last?

Economist says indicators look good — or is he just celebrating too early?

THERE’S some good news on the economy— from the observer who follows its ups and downs most closely. The Inquirer columnist Cielito Habito suggests the economy may— at long last— be entering a period of inclusive growth ( The Daily Inquirer, August 8, 2017) .

Habito—a professional economist who was director-general of the economic and development authority, NEDA, in 199298—reports the key indicators as looking good.

Joblessness down

Jobs are apparently growing in their quality as well as in their number. Industry’s share is rising over a wider base, in an economy once dominated by the export of services—most prominently the assembly of electronic components—that have only the weakest linkages with the home economy.

Joblessness is down during the

Where’s growth from?

Not from remittances

Dutch disease

Poverty core issue

Agriculture basic weakness

No economies of scale