A disaster-laden year loaded with political "noise" exchanged among the Philippines' highest officials did not prevent President Marcos from claiming that the country remains stable, pointing out that the government continues to function properly despite all what he called mere noises.
In an interview at Malacañan two weeks before the year ends, where he responded to queries on next year's national budget and was candidly asked about the nation's state amid all the challenges, he made a brief statement assuring the public that everything was under control.
"We're quite stable. I mean, the government is functioning properly. Although there's a lot of noise, that's all it is. It's all just noise," Marcos said on Dec. 16.
While he did not elaborate on what noise he was referring to, it came after he engaged in an exchange of tirades with his supposed ally Vice President Sara Duterte. The former allies were caught in a political tension, which further grew when it was brought out into the open, at least publicly, in November.
It stemmed from Duterte's alleged death threats made against Marcos, his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and his cousin, House Speaker Martin Romualdez. She revealed she will have them assassinated if she, herself, gets killed.
Climate change threats
In the last quarter of the year, the country was struck by a series of typhoons dubbed as the "KLMNOP" typhoons—Kristine, Leon, Marce, Nika, Ofel, and Pepito—in only less than a month.
This was followed by a volcanic eruption of Mount Kanlaon, potentially challenging the government's capability to respond to all affected communities.
However, Marcos said funding was not an issue. The government can handle the impact, saying it has enough budget to deal with it.
With all these calamities occurring now, it is imperative to establish a "culture of preparedness," Marcos said in his speech at the 24th Gawad Kalasag awarding ceremony on Dec. 13.
"And all of these compel us to establish a culture of preparedness and institutionalize disaster risk reduction and management practices across all sectors," Marcos said on Friday, Dec. 13.
It can be recalled that the calamities that battered the country happened in the same year the El Niño phenomenon took the Philippines by storm.
"During the first half of the year, the first crisis that we faced was El Niño where we had six months, there was no rain that came down to the Philippines from November of last year, extending into the second even the third quarter of this year," he cited.
"Now, we have the typhoons that have come with the anticipation of La Niña. Now, the eruption and continuing unrest of Kanlaon has covered its neighboring places with ash fall," he added.
While there has been an increasing frequency and intensity of hazardous events in the country, the President said it has provided the government with "insights that have shaped our approach and have saved many lives."
He stressed that it is also imperative that the Philippines' disaster risk reduction management system continues to improve.
POGO’s end
Declaring a complete ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) in the country was arguably the biggest move Marcos made this year.
Citing “grave abuse and disrespect” to Philippine laws, and linking POGO to financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder, Marcos imposed a ban on POGO operations starting last July 22.
In his third State of the Nation Address (SONA), he lamented all the crimes surrounding the operations of POGOs in the country, which he said, have been "disguising as legitimate entities."
He told the people: We hear the loud screams of the people against POGO.
"Disguising as legitimate entities, their operations have ventured into elicit areas furthest from gaming such as financial scamming, money laundering, prostitution, human trafficking, kidnapping, brutal torture, even murder," he then stated.
"The grave abuse and disrespect to our system of laws must stop. Kailangan nang itigil ang paggulo nito sa ating lipunan at panglalapastangan sa ating bansa (The chaos it is bringing to our society and the disrespect to our country must stop)," Marcos said.
All-out war against POGO
The President’s declaration in July 2024 eventually led to an all-out war against POGO, where he even instructed government agencies to go after even the small-time POGO hubs operating around the country.
Carry out smaller but multiple operations against existing POGOs in the country, Marcos ordered law enforcement and anti-corruption entities on Dec. 12.
As of November 29 this year, there were 53,700 cancelled offshore gaming employment licenses; 18 internet gaming licensees (IGLs) voluntarily cancelling their licenses; and 27 IGLs in the process of winding down their operations.
The President further said that suspicious illegal activities, especially those concerning POGOs, should be monitored by the LGUs, stressing that the DILG should step up gathering substantial intelligence from local communities.
By January next year, the government is expecting to run after rogue POGO— formed by former POGO workers operating in small spaces such as houses, apartments, or resorts.
The Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) said these rogue POGOs might further multiply next year, given that licenses of remaining POGOs have been revoked this month.
Declining approval, trust ratings
While Marcos claimed the nation remained stable amid all the challenges, his trust and approval ratings suffered a decline as the year comes to an end.
According to the latest Pulse Asia survey conducted from Nov. 26 to Dec. 3, Marcos’ approval rating dropped to 48 percent from 50 percent in September. His trust rating also declined to 47 percent from 50 percent in September.
He, however, remained unperturbed over the ratings, saying to consider surveys as the "sole indicator" of public service takes away the focus from more important matters in terms of governance.
"Public interest is the sole driver behind every executive decision, not the pursuit of high ratings in the next opinion polls. High popularity ratings are the bonus and not the bedrock of effective public service," his Executive Secretary said in a statement on Dec. 23.