When President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., began his term of office at noon on June 30, 2022, he carried on his shoulders the enormous responsibility of leading a government that the Filipino people had brought to power with an unprecedented electoral mandate. That mandate was for the government to revive the economy from the maladies inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic and put the country back on the path of prosperity as a developing market economy.
As he marks his 100th day in office today, Oct. 7, he told his audience at the Manila Overseas Press Club that his most significant achievements so far are bringing unity to the government, making other countries aware that the Philippines is open for business, and extinguishing fires while facing issues left and right.
“I think what we have managed to do in the first 100 days is put together a government that is functional and which has a very, very good idea of what we are targeting in terms of strict economic targets, of the numbers for growth… and of the different metrics that we are using for the economy,” he said.
In the President’s view, unity has helped his administration pull the country out of the Covid-19 pandemic, which he described as a “terrible crisis” that Filipinos have suffered over the past two years. Steering the country forward in the transition phase to Covid-19 being scaled down from pandemic to endemic state requires consensus- and coalition-building among vital stakeholder groups. This is where the President’s skills as a unifying leader would need to be marshalled.
The President’s participation in the opening sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York served notice to the world that “the Philippines is open for business” as a suitable investment venue and partner. This was preceded by his visits to Indonesia and Singapore which brought about a rich harvest of pledges and commitments to invest from leading business and industrial organizations.
“Putting out fires” is the metaphor used by the President for disruptive external events such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has impacted the supply of fertilizer and oil, as well as stoking global inflation.
Former President and incumbent House Deputy Speaker Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has weighed in by saying: "The President has projected himself well as a calm, thoughtful leader who is true to his promise to promote unity and be a President for all."
President Marcos’ first 100-day performance has also been lauded by Albay Rep. Jose Ma. Salceda in terms of “competent appointments, drama-free management of disasters and crises, and a focus on the most essential matter: Agriculture.”
Administration critics have trained their sights on the recent resignation of former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez and a few other high officials. This is not unprecedented, as previous administrations have had their share of similar episodes.
Moving forward, the President and the Cabinet must harness the capabilities of the entire government — including the Legislature and the Judiciary — in reinforcing and strengthening the Filipino people’s trust and confidence in their leaders and public servants.