MANILA, Philippines – Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez said the 20th Congress must push for laws that will help the country attain upper middle-income status.

This came after the World Bank reported that the Philippines had a gross national income (GNI) per capita of US$4,470 in 2024 — just $26 short of the $4,496 threshold needed to be classified as an upper middle-income country.

“Achieving upper middle-income status is a meaningful milestone, but more important is ensuring that growth leads to tangible improvements in the lives of our people,” Romualdez said in a statement on Saturday.

“The 20th Congress should focus on measures that promote inclusive growth, improve public services, and support investments in infrastructure, digitalization, and human capital development,” he added.

The country is projected to reach upper middle-income status by 2025 or 2026, according to the 2024 Philippine Development Report released earlier this year by the National Economic and Development Authority (now the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development).

The 20th Congress will convene on July 28. /jpv