In First 100 Days, President Bongbong Marcos Flexes His 'Functional Government'
A president's first 100 days reveals so much about the kind of leader we're going to get for the next six years. For President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., his biggest achievement so far, he says, is his "functional" government and having the "best and the brightest" by his side.
“I think what we have managed to do in the first 100 days is put together a government which is functional and which has a very, very good idea of what we are targeting in terms of strict economic targets,” Marcos said in a speech last Wednesday, October 6, in front of the Manila Overseas Press Club.
The president also talked of the successes of his state visits to Singapore and Indonesia, bagging investment deals in key industries.
He had even boasted about his trip to New York City, where he spoke before the United Nations General Assembly. There, the president reaffirmed the country's commitment to the international body, economic prosperity, and human rights. Recently, Marcos' economic team has been credited for raising a total of $2 billion in commercial bonds earlier this week, as well.
Nevertheless, Marcos' control of the wage hike, transportation crisis, rising debt, and skyrocketing costs, among others, have plagued the administration. The weakening peso against the U.S. dollar is being closely monitored, too.
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Apart from these, Marcos' alleged undocumented trips and parties have been criticized by the public, including his trip to the Singapore F1 Grand Prix. The resignations, of course, of officials like Trixie Cruz-Angeles, Vic Rodriguez, and Jose Calida have not inspired confidence in the Marcos Cabinet. Currently, Marcos is searching for his next press secretary and Commission on Audit chairman.
In addition to these posts, Marcos has yet to appoint his administration's Department of Health and Department of Agriculture chiefs. With Marcos concurrently sitting as agriculture secretary, he has been criticized by rights groups, labor leaders, and members of the opposition, including Minority Leader Senator Risa Hontiveros, for his management of the recent sugar fiasco.
On Friday, October 8, Senator Risa Hontiveros had even released her own statement on the president's first 100 days.
“Matapos ang 100 araw sa posisyon, tila natatakot ang Malacañang na iharap ang kanyang sarili sa salamin. Nakakabagabag kasi ang maisisiwalat nito, tulad ng nagsisimulang makita ng masang Pilipino. Ramdam na ramdam ng bayan ang gulo sa Malacañang,” she wrote.
However, the government has still received majority approval ratings for its performance on 11 of 13 key national issues, based on the recent Pulse Asia survey results from September 17 to 21.
These include factors like calamity response, COVID-19, peace in the country, fighting criminality, and more. The Marcos government had only garnered low approval ratings for its performances in poverty reduction and control of inflation.
