Malacañang on July 3, 2026 (July 4 in Manila) rejects think tank IBON Foundation’s claim that the Philippines' upper-middle-income status is 'meaningless' to millions of Filipino families struggling with poverty and inequality. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that the upper-middle-income classification should not be seen as a 'finish line' but a milestone in the country's ongoing economic development.<br /><br />VIDEO BY CATHERINE VALENTE<br /><br />Check out our Streaming Channel: https://streaming.manilatimes.net/<br /><br />Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe<br /><br />Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net<br /><br />Follow us:<br />Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook<br />Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram<br />Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter<br />DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion<br /><br />Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital<br /><br />Check out our Podcasts:<br />Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify<br />Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts<br />Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic<br />Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer<br />Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein<br /><br />#TheManilaTimes<br />#LocalNews<br />---------------------------------------------------------------------/
