Institutions, institutions, institutions. This is the subtitle of Chapter 13 of the 2012 classic work “Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity and Poverty” written by 2024 Nobel prize winners Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson. That statement is meant to emphasize their main argument which is the fundamental importance of institutions for national development and democratic stability. In simple terms, nations fail or succeed depending on the quality and strength of institutions. Nations fail because of weak, politics-driven, elite-captured, extractive institutions. Nations succeed if institutions are strong, efficient, inclusive, democratic.

While many sectors, groups, and even foreign communities dread the prospect of a Sara Duterte Presidency in 2028 as I presented in a previous article (“What happens if Sara Duterte wins the presidency in 2028?” Manila Bulletin, April 25, 2026), what can provide a certain level of political stability is the presence of some key institutions as I explained in the succeeding article (“Are we ready for a Sara Duterte presidency in 2028?” Manila Bulletin, May 9, 2026). Though admittedly, our institutions in general have a long way to go compared to the institutions of highly-developed democracies like the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Australia, Poland, and Sweden, I tend to think that several of our institutions have achieved a stage of maturity that can temper populists and politicians with authoritarian tendencies, and can provide assurance that whoever occupies Malacañang, our process of democratization and economic development will continue though not without challenges. From the struggles during the dark years of Martial Law in the 1970s leading to the overthrow of an authoritarian regime in the 1986 People Power Revolution, and the succeeding seven presidential administrations (Cory Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Erap Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, Nonoy Aquino, Digong Duterte, Bongbong Marcos) each burdened with a host of complex domestic and global challenges, we have developed stable institutions standing for truth, justice, democracy, common good, professionalism, and the right way of doing things. I mentioned some of these institutions in my previous article, namely, the Supreme Court, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Department of Economic Planning and Development (formerly NEDA).

Then, I also cited the presence of numerous robust, courageous, patriotic, consistent-through-the-years civil society organizations like the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), and Galing Pook Foundation.

There are countless other civil society groups keeping our democracy resilient and strong; one of which is the Makati Business Club (MBC), which since the authoritarian regime of Marcos Sr. “has been at the forefront of economic and social advocacy by the business sector … opposed crony capitalism and helped push for the return of democracy in 1986.”

All these decades, “MBC also run, organized, or helped organize Coalition Against Corruption, Project Shine, Integrity Initiative, the Right to Know Coalition, and other movements to promote and defend freedom and democracy.”

Another civil society organization worth mentioning is the Institute for Solidarity in Asia (ISA), which “is emerging as the country’s foremost authority on transforming the public sector for good.” A look at its website shows the hundreds of government institutions and thousands of government leaders undergoing the Performance Governance System which is “a strategy management system developed specifically for public institutions in the Philippines enabling government agencies and local governments to design, deploy, monitor, and sustain long-term reforms that aim for real, measurable breakthroughs in service delivery and institutional performance.”

Our media is arguably among the freest and most fearless in Asia. Thanks to our media outfits and their journalists and media professionals who, immensely empowered by information and communication technology, disseminate valuable news to keep the public informed of government’s and politicians’ performance, including wrongdoings and underperformance.

We have numerous educational institutions which includes highly influential universities such as the University of the Philippines, Ateneo University, De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas shaping the values, culture, and citizens of our nation with professors and students unafraid to challenge what is wrong with government and society.

Then, the Catholic Church, which for more than five hundred years, has not only provided spiritual strength before the trials we have faced as a nation throughout the centuries, but has also fought for its teachings on human dignity and human rights, common good, solidarity and subsidiarity, and preferential option for the poor.

At present, we obviously still have weak political parties but it is worth noticing that there are small parties like Akbayan which, over the years, has been consistent in its advocacy and courage to fight for political reforms, serving as voice for the marginalized; thus, proving to be a legitimate political party in the true sense.

Finally, we have initiatives coming from dedicated, reform-minded local leaders in Mayors for Good Governance (M4GG), “a coalition of incumbent mayors of cities and municipalities … who uphold the principles of good governance and serve the best interests of their constituents … committed to fighting corruption and building resilient, future-ready communities through empowered local governments that put people's welfare above politics and power.”

Undeniably, we see so much political chaos happening in our country today like the power struggle in the Senate, impeachment process of the Vice President, flood control corruption scandal, ICC investigation, etc. But amid this chaos, we have these stable and reliable institutions that we can depend on, and we must support if we are to be genuinely part of nation-building. The worst thing that can happen is to be mere bystanders.