Economic growth in the Philippines likely slowed in the third quarter from the previous three months as manufacturers carefully rebuilt their inventories amid a cautious outlook on the global economy, a Reuters poll showed.

Six of 10 economists surveyed forecast gross domestic product (GDP) grew a seasonally adjusted 1.3 percent in July to September, lower than the 2.4 percent expansion seen in the second quarter, based on the poll's median estimate.

Compared with a year earlier, growth likely picked up 1.7 percent in the third quarter, the same poll showed.

Stronger domestic consumption, largely driven by strong inflows of remittances from Filipinos overseas, may have offset the impact of a strong typhoon in late September that destroyed crops and buildings worth millions of dollars.

The government has forecast third quarter GDP growth of between 1.6-2.6 percent from a year earlier, better than the 1.5 percent annual expansion in the second quarter, and putting the country on track to meet its 0.8-1.8 percent full-year growth target. (Reuters)