The situation, in brief
Bicol Region recorded the slowest economic growth among all 18 regions in the Philippines in 2025, posting a gross regional domestic product expansion of only 0.5 percent, according to data released Thursday, April 23, by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA released its 2025…
Bicol Region recorded the slowest economic growth among all 18 regions in the Philippines in 2025, posting a gross regional domestic product expansion of only 0.5 percent, according to data released Thursday, April 23, by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The PSA released its 2025 Regional Accounts of the Philippines, showing that while all 18 regional economies continued to grow during the year, Bicol’s performance stood far below the national GDP growth rate of 4.4 percent — itself a slowdown from the 5.7 percent recorded in 2024.
Bicol’s weak overall performance was compounded by a sharp contraction in gross capital formation, with the region posting a 17.2-percent decline in investments — the second-largest contraction among all regions after SOCCSKSARGEN’s 19.1 percent. Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula also registered investment contractions of 14.9 percent and 13.6 percent, respectively.
Eastern Visayas and Zamboanga Peninsula also trailed the rest of the country, posting growth rates of 1.0 percent and 2.6 percent, respectively, making the three regions the weakest performers in the 2025 regional economic rankings.
At the other end of the spectrum, Western Visayas emerged as the fastest-growing region at 6.4 percent, followed closely by Caraga at 5.704 percent and Negros Island Region at 5.699 percent. Ten regions in total grew faster than the national average.
At the national level, gross capital formation fell by 1.7 percent in 2025, with eight regions recording investment declines. In contrast, Caraga posted the strongest investment growth at 8.5 percent.
The National Capital Region (NCR), which accounts for the largest share of the services sector at 40.9 percent, grew at 4.35 percent — just below the national average. CALABARZON led all regions in industry share at 25.4 percent, while Central Luzon topped the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector with a 14.1-percent share.
The 2025 regional accounts are consistent with revised annual estimates released by the PSA on April 8, 2026, according to National Statistician and Civil Registrar General Claire Dennis S. Mapa. Complete time series data on the Regional Accounts of the Philippines is available at the PSA website.
