Outpacing most other Asian economies in the first nine months of 2013, Philippine growth was hampered in the year’s last quarter by the devastating effect of Supertyphoon Haiyan, which claimed more than 6,000 lives and disrupted the livelihoods of more than 4 million people.
Gross domestic product rose 6.5 percent from a year earlier, down from the 7.7 percent growth in the first half of the year, but still better than earlier estimates of between 4.1 to 6 percent.
Seen over the whole year, GDP growth still climbed to 7.2 percent, making 2013 the first time in 25 years that growth exceeded six percent two years in a row.
The World Bank predicts that Haiyan’s effect will slow Philippine growth to about 6.5 percent this year, while Manila maintains its target of 6.5 to 7.5 percent.
Villagers carry religious statues during a procession before taking part in a Latin mass ceremony at a local Chapel in Santa Rita township on November 22, 2013 in Eastern Samar, Philippines. Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesA photo album lies in the rubble in a neighborhood destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines on November 22, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APTyphoon Haiyan survivors stand in the rain and watch as people from their destroyed neighborhood search for dead bodies in the rubble in Tacloban, Philippines on November 22, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APA man and his child sleep inside a Catholic Cathedral where they and other Typhoon Haiyan survivors are taking shelter in Tacloban, Philippines on November 22, 2013.David Guttenfelder—APA woman arranges religious statues during a Latin mass ceremony at a local Chapel in Santa Rita township on November 22, 2013 in Eastern Samar, Philippines. Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesResidents work to clear debris left in the aftermath by Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippine city of Tacloban on November 21, 2013. Nicolas Asfouri—AFP/Getty ImagesA damaged statue of Jesus Christ that was recovered from rubbles is placed in a church in an area wrecked by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban November 21, 2013. Damir Sagolj—ReutersA general view of the destruction in Tolosa on November 21, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines. Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesEmployees sift through rubbish looking for retrievable items at the Nena's Trading store on November 21, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines. Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesFilipino villagers force open a washed up container containing grocery items in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte island province, Philippines, November 20, 2013. Ritchie B. Tongo—EPABodies are seen on a road before being placed in a mass grave on the outskirts of Tacloban City on November 20, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines. Chris McGrath—Getty ImagesChildren who survived Typhoon Haiyan blow bubbles in the destroyed market of Tacloban, Philippines, November 20, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APA typhoon victim constructs his new home in Tanauan on November 20, 2013. Nicolas Asfouri—AFP/Getty ImagesA Typhoon Haiyan survivor and his sons eat dinner by candlelight inside a destroyed and abandoned vegetable market now used as a shelter in Tacloban, Philippines, November 20, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APA family sleeps in the hull of a tanker in a particularly badly damaged part of Tacloban on November 19, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines.Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesA man fans flames on a fire in Tanauan, Leyte province, Philippines, on November 19, 2013.Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesFilipino firemen unload Typhoon Haiyan victims in body bags from a truck on the roadside until forensic experts can register and bury them in a mass grave outside of Tacloban, Philippines on November 19, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APTwo broken palm trees stand snapped in half on the beach near Tanauan, on November 19, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines.Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesA Typhoon Haiyan survivor sleeps in the back of an abandoned minibus in Tacloban, Philippines, November 19, 2013.David Guttenfelder—APPeople march in the rain Tacloban, Philippines during a procession to call for courage and resilience among their Typhoon Haiyan survivors on November 19, 2013.David Guttenfelder—APMarket stall holders trade goods in Tacloban on November 19, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines.Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesA girl affected by Typhoon Haiyan collects food aid in Tanauan, Philippines on November 19, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEChildren, survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, play on swings at a devastated area of Basey, north of Tacloban, November 19, 2013. Damir Sagolj—ReutersA boy sells fish in a neighbourhood damaged by Typhoon Haiyan as life begins to return to normal in Tanauan, Philippines on November 19, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA woman eats dinner in a damaged building in Tanauan on November 18, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines. Chris McGrath—Getty ImagesSurvivors of Typhoon Haiyan march during a religious procession in Tolosa on the eastern Philippine island of Leyte on November 18, 2013.Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty ImagesForensic experts work on a mass grave with more than 700 bodies of victims of Typhoon Haiyan just outside Tacloban on November 18, 2013.Damir Sagolj—ReutersA Typhoon Haiyan survivor carries a bag of his recovered belongings in the ruins of his rural neighborhood on the outskirts of Tacloban, Philippines on November 18, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APYoung residents push a cart as they collect water in an area destroyed in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan on November 18, 2013 in Tacloban, Philippines. Kevin Frayer—Getty ImagesA family gather around a grave of a relative that was killed when Typhoon Haiyan struck their home on November 18, 2013 in Leyte, Philippines. Dan Kitwood—Getty ImagesSurvivors of Typhoon Haiyan wave as a U.S. military helicopter delivering aid flies over their isolated village north of Tacloban, November 17, 2013. Damir Sagolj—ReutersSurvivors of Typhoon Haiyan rush to grab fresh water delivered by a U.S. military helicopter to their isolated village north of Tacloban, November 17, 2013. Damir Sagolj—ReutersPeople who trying to leave the devastated town look through the fence of Tacloban airport, which remains a point of exodus for survivors of typhoon Haiyan, November 17, 2013. Damir Sagolj—ReutersA man salvages wood in a neighbourhood destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines on November 17, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA woman prays during mass with an umbrella to protect herself from the rain coming in through the Santo Nino Church roof that was damaged by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines on November 17, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMETyphoon Haiyan survivors walk through the ruins in the streets of Tacloban, Philippines, November 17, 2013.David Guttenfelder—APPeople play by a fire in a neighborhood destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, Philippines on November 16, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEThe body of a man killed by Typhoon Haiyan is washed up along the shore in Tacloban, Philippines on November 16, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMESoldiers and search and rescue teams collect bodies of people killed by Typhoon Haiyan in Tanuan, Philippines on November 15, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA Typhoon Haiyan survivor carries a child wrapped in a towel as he watches a helicopter landing to bring aid to the destroyed town of Guiuan, Samar Island, Philippines, November 15, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APTyphoon Haiyan survivors play basketball at the destroyed port in the town of Guiuan, Philippines on November 15, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APA woman stands in the kitchen of her home destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan in Tanuan, Philippines on November 15, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA man who's home was destroyed by Typhoon Haiyan sits by a candle light in the rubble of his home in Tanuan, Philippines on November 15, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMETyphoon Haiyan survivors walk through ruins in the village of Maraboth, in the Philippines on November 14, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APPeople carry the coffin of a victim of Typhoon Haiyan into a cemetery near a mass grave site, on the outskirts of Tacloban, on the eastern island of Leyte on November 14, 2013. Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty ImagesPeople from a remote island that was cut off by Haiyan Typhoon walk on the street in the street in Homonhon Island, Philippines on November 14, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEChildren run towards a U.S. military aircraft as it arrives to distribute aid to Typhoon Haiyan survivors in the destroyed town of Guiuan, Philippines on November 14, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APTyphoon Haiyan survivors help carry USAID donated food after a U.S. military helicopter unloaded it in the destroyed town of Guiuan, Philippines on November 14, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APDisplaced people effected by Haiyan Typhoon queue in the rain for the first aid delivery at a displacement camp in Tacloban, Philippines on November 14, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEDisplaced people effected by Haiyan Typhoon queue in the rain for the first aid delivery at a displacement camp in Tacloban, Philippines on November 14, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMETyphoon Haiyan survivors ride motorbikes through the ruins of the destroyed town of Guiuan, Philippines on November 14, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APPeople effected by Typhoon Haiyan wait in the rain at the airport to board an evacuation flight in Tacloban, Philippines on November 14, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA view of Filipino typhoon survivors prior their boarding on a US C-130 plane in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, November 13, 2013.Dennis M. Sabangan—EPAMen remove the body of a woman killed by Haiyan Typhoon in Tacloban, Philippines on November 13, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA neighborhood destroyed by Haiyan Typhoon in Tacloban, Philippines on November 13, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEA man washes outside his temporary home on the site of his former home that was destroyed by Haiyan Typhoon in Tacloban, Philippines on November 13, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEMembers of a Philippines rescue team carry corpses in body bags as they search for the dead in the Typhoon Haiyan ravaged city of Tacloban on November 13, 2013.David Guttenfelder—APA woman rests on a roadside with her family's belongings near the Typhoon Haiyan ravaged town of Tacloban, Philippines on November 13, 2013. David Guttenfelder—APPeople effected by Typhoon Haiyan react after being unable to board a US military aid evacuation flight from Tacloban Airport in Tacloban, on Leyte Island, Philippines on November 12, 2013.Adam Dean—Panos for TIMEDead bodies are unloaded at a makeshift morgue in Tacloban, on the eastern island of Leyte on November 12, 2013 after Super Typhoon Haiyan swept over the Philippines.Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty ImagesPolice forensics line up bodies for processing at Tacloban City Hall after Typhoon Haiyan slammed the city in Leyte province, central Philippines, November 12, 2013. Bullit Marquez—APA woman carrying a child cries as they and other survivors of Supertyphoon Haiyan wait to board an aircraft during an evacuation in the Philippine town of Tacloban on Nov. 12, 2013 Paula Bronstein—Getty ImagesAn elderly lady and an injured man are carried to a waiting C130 aircraft during the evacuation of hundreds of survivors of Typhoon Haiyan on November 12, 2013 in Tacloban, Philippines. Paula Bronstein—Getty ImagesA woman holding a baby comforts a crying relative as a plane leaves the airport during evacuation operations in Tacloban, on the eastern island of Leyte on November 12, 2013 after Super Typhoon Haiyan swept over the Philippines. Philippe Lopez—AFP/Getty ImagesA body wrapped in cloth labeled only with a name is left on a pew at St. Michael The Archangel Chapel in Tacloban, central Philippines, November 12, 2013. Wally Santana—APAn aerial view of a coastal town, devastated by super Typhoon Haiyan, in Samar province in central Philippines, November 11, 2013.Erik De Castro—ReutersA surivor walks among the debris of houses destroyed by Super Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban in the eastern Philippine island of Leyte on November 11, 2013. Noel Celis—AFP/Getty ImagesAerial photo showing uprooted coconut trees on a hill near the town of Guiuan in Eastern Samar province in the central Philippines on November 11, 2013 only days after Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the town on November 8. Ted Aljibe—AFP/Getty ImagesSurvivors look up at a military C-130 plane as it arrives at typhoon-ravaged Tacloban city, Leyte province in central Philippines on Nov. 11, 2013. Aaron Favila—APEmily Ortega, 21, gives birth to baby girl Bea Joy, after being in labor for five hours at an improvised clinic at Tacloban Airport in Tacloban city, central Philippines.Bullit Marquez—APSoldiers and residents look at the devastation of the town from a military aid supplies distribution truck after the Super typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city in central Philippines November 11, 2013. Edgar Su—ReutersTwo young boys look at the devastation in the aftermath of typhoon Haiyan on Nov. 10, 2013 in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines.Dondi Tawatao—Getty ImagesSurvivors stand among debris and ruins of houses on Nov. 10, 2013, after Supertyphoon Haiyan battered the city of Tacloban, in central Philippines Erik De Castro—ReutersA Filipino father and his children wait for food relief outside their makeshift tent in the supertyphoon-devastated city of Tacloban, in the Philippines' Leyte province, on Nov. 10, 2013Dennis M. Sabangan—EPAFilipino villagers carrying their belongings during a heavy downpour walk past rubble of houses in the supertyphoon-devastated city of Tacloban, in the Philippines' Leyte province, on Nov. 10, 2013Dennis M. Sabangan—EPAThe body of a dead man is seen in Tacloban, in Leyte province, on Nov. 10, 2013, after Supertyphoon Haiyan swept over the Philippines Noel Celis—AFP/Getty ImagesFilipinos rush in front of a store in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, November 10, 2013. Francis R. Malasig—EPAA Filipino store owner aims a pistol and warn looters trying to enter his store in the super typhoon devastated city of Tacloban, Leyte province, Philippines, November 10, 2013. Francis R. Malasig—EPAA resident drinks water beside large ships that were washed ashore by strong waves caused by Typhoon Haiyan, in Tacloban city, Leyte province, central Philippines, Nov. 10, 2013. Aaron Favila—APThe body of a typhoon victim lies on a door after Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city in central Philippines, November 10, 2013. Erik De Castro—ReutersResidents wheel a family member to the cemetery on Nov. 10, 2013, in Santa Fe, in the Philippines' Leyte province Jeoffrey Maitem—Getty ImagesSurvivors stay in their damaged house after super Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban city, central Philippines November 10, 2013. Romeo Ranoco—ReutersEmpty coffins lie on a street near ruined houses on Nov. 10, 2013, after Supertyphoon Haiyan battered the city of Tacloban, in central Philippines Romeo Ranoco—ReutersA motorist crosses a collapsed highway caused by the storm surge in Palo, in Leyte province, on Nov. 10, 2013Noel Celis —AFP/Getty ImagesA Filipino family with their month-old baby in what is left of their home after Supertyphoon Haiyan swept through in Madridejos, in the Philippines' Cebu province, Nov. 9, 2013Jay Rommel Labra—EPAResidents return to their houses after leaving an evacuation site in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Haiyan in Tacloban, eastern island of Leyte on November 9, 2013. Noel Celis—AFP/Getty ImagesFilipinos walk past a victim left on the side of a street in the typhoon-devastated city of Tacloban, in the Philippines' Leyte province, on Nov. 9, 2013Francis R. Malasig—EPAA truck is seen on a tree in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan in Tacloban, the Philippines, on Nov. 9, 2013Romeo Ranoco—ReutersA mother weeps beside her dead son at a chapel in the aftermath of Supertyphoon Haiyan in Tacloban, in Leyte province, Nov. 9, 2013Noel Celis —AFP/Getty ImagesSurvivors walk past a damaged town on Nov. 9, 2013, after strong winds brought by Supertyphoon Haiyan battered Tacloban, in central PhilippinesRomeo Ranoco—ReutersA resident walks by remains of houses on Nov. 9, 2013, after Supertyphoon Haiyan slammed into Tacloban, in the Philippines' Leyte provinceAaron Favila—APFamilies of indigenous Filipino Badjao seek refuge inside a gymnasium turned into an evacuation center during a heavy downpour brought by Supertyphoon Haiyan in the Philippines' Cebu province on Nov. 8, 2013Jay Rommel Labra—EPAResidents stand along a sea wall as high waves pounded them amidst strong winds as Typhoon Haiyan hit the city of Legaspi, Albay province, south of Manila on November 8, 2013. Charism Sayat—AFP/Getty Images
