Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad stuck to the government`s 5 to 6 percent growth target for 2012, citing investor confidence, a low base of
comparison in 2011, and `glowing` long-term projections from financial institutions and credit agencies. Abad also said that the country`s budget
deficit would likely stay within the government’s forecast range, coming from a low deficit in 2011. The head of the country`s state-owned think
thank is fairly optimistic as well.
