MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is the most underrated country in the world, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said yesterday during a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.
Purisima said that the credit rating of the Philippines– currently below investment grade – “are four levels below where it should be.”
“The Philippines is the most underrated country in the world. I am confident that the credit rating agencies would catch up with their ratings sooner rather than later,” he told reporters.
He believes the Philippines deserves an upgrade soon because of “the improving fiscal situation, the well-managed macroeconomy and also because of the Aquino administration’s good governance platform.”
Purisima recently met with a review team of global debt watcher Standard & Poor’s (S&P).
The S&P team met with fiscal and monetary officials as part of its regular assessment of the country’s economic fundamentals.
The review team also sought updates on measures to raise revenues including the status of the proposed sin tax measure which is pending in Congress.
The government is pushing for House Bill 5757, authored by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya. The measure, currently pending at the House Ways and Means Committee, calls for the adoption of a unitary tax system for tobacco and liquor and indexation of taxes to inflation.
In December, the global debt watcher upgraded the credit rating outlook of the Philippines to positive from stable in December 2011.
An improved credit rating translates to lower borrowing costs of the government which, in turn, would result in an improved fiscal position or more resources for social service and infrastructure.
In 2011, the government incurred a budget gap of P197.8 billion, well below the P300 billion ceiling set for last year.
In February, Purisima met with representatives from S&P, Fitch Ratings, and Moody’s Investors Service in London to provide them an update of the Philippine economic landscape. –Iris C. Gonzales (The Philippine Star)
September 18 –
International Equal Pay Day
“Increase wages now,
more than other cost items.
For widespread, practical equality!”
Invoke Article 33 of the ILO Constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar
to carry out the recommendations of the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry
against serious violations of protocols of
Forced Labour and Freedom of Association.
Accept the National Unity Government (NUG)
of Myanmar. Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands
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September –
5 Sept – Intl Day of Charity
7 Sept – Intl Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies
8 Sept – International Literacy Day
12 Sept – United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 Sept – International Day of Democracy
16 Sept – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
17 Sept – World Patient Safety Day
18 Sept – International Equal Pay Day
21 Sept – International Day of Peace
26 Sept – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
27 Sept – World Tourism Day
28 Sept – International Day for Universal Access to Information
29 Sept – International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste
30 Sept – World Maritime Day
Monthly Observances:
Health, Safety and Sanitation Month
National Clean-up Month
Civil Service Month
National Peace Consciousness Month
Social Security Month
Rule of Law Month
National Teachers’ Month (Sept 5-Oct 4)
Weekly Observances:
Sept 17 – 23:
World Clean and Green Week
Week 2: Education Week
Week 4: Medicine Week
Last Week: National Family Week
Daily Observances:
Third Saturday:
International Coastal Clean-up Day
Third Monday: World Health Day
Last Friday: National Maritime Day
Sept 8: National Literacy Day
Sept 15: Philippine Medicine Day
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