PH PRESIDENT FERDINAND MARCOS JR. composite image from Inquirer file photos
for the third time on Monday (July 22), the themes of his administration have remained the same.
Here鈥檚 a quick look at some of the major issues, the current situation, what鈥檚 been done, and what鈥檚 been promised.
WEST PHILIPPINE SEA
Asserting sovereignty
Amid increasing aggression by China, Marcos Jr. said the Philippines should go beyond just filing diplomatic protests:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
* 65 (filed as of December 2022)
* 150 (filed as of June 2024)
* 20 (filed in the first six months of 2024)
Facing China
West Philippine Sea reefs have been occupied by China, and the damage is immeasurable:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- Panganiban or Mischief Reef – 995.93 hectares
- Zamora or Subi Reef – 798.44 hectares
- Kagitingan or Fiery Cross Reef – 797.63 hectares
- Calderon or Cuarteron Reef – 312.01 hectares
- Burgos or Gaven Reef – 114.12 hectares
- Scarborough Shoal- 764.45 hectares
- 7,000 hectares-coral reefs damaged by China in the South China Sea
- 3,700 hectares鈥攃oral reefs damaged by China in WPS
READ: Marcos: Philippines will not lose one inch of its territory
Chinese structures inside PH waters
To assert its disproven claim in the West Philippine Sea, China has built outposts to use as bases for military and other purposes:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- Calderon or Cuarteron Reef
- Kagitingan or Fiery Cross Reef
- Burgos or Gaven Reef
- McKennan or Hughes Reef
- Panganiban or Mischief Reef
- Zamora or Subi Reef
READ:
ENERGY, NATURAL GAS
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly underscored the critical role of the Malampaya gas field, the Philippines’ only source of indigenous natural gas.
Malampaya gas field
- Proven reserves: 2.7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
- 85 million barrels of condensate.
- Contributes 20 percent of Luzon鈥檚 electricity needs.
- Supplies gas to four power generation plants in Batangas (Sta. Rita, San Lorenzo, San Gabriel, and Avion) with a combined capacity of 2,011 megawatts (MW).
- Scheduled to produce 146 billion cubic feet of gas per year.
- In April, as the Luzon grid was placed on red and yellow alert status, gas supply from Malampaya peaked at 290 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), exceeding the Malampaya wells鈥� current maximum capacity of 262 MMSCFD.
- The Malampaya Consortium generated and remitted more than $13.5 billion (P749.3 billion) to the national government between 2001 and 2023.
SOURCE: DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
READ:
Extended for 15 more years
Marcos鈥� thrust for energy security was followed by:
- In May 2023, Marcos Jr. signed the renewal of Service Contract 38, extending the Malampaya gas field’s operation until February 22, 2039.
- The extension of SC 38 for full production of the Malampaya field through its remaining gas reserves of about 147 billion cubic feet.
- The contract requires a minimum work program of geological and geophysical studies and drilling of at least two deep water wells during Sub-Phase 1 from 2024 to 2029.
- DOE said the extension would jump-start the exploration and development of other fields in the area believed to hold up to 210 billion cubic feet more of natural gas.
SOURCES: DOE, INQUIRER.NET ARCHIVE
READ: 15 more years: Bongbong Marcos signs Malampaya renewal deal
What鈥檚 next?
- A $600 million (around P33.7 billion) worth of investments was committed by the Malampaya Consortium 鈥� led by Enrique Razon鈥檚 Prime Energy.
- A $69.9 million (P3.88 billion) contract was awarded to the American offshore drilling company Noble.
- Noble鈥檚 special ship 鈥淣oble Viking鈥� set to drill two deepwater development wells in the Camago and Malampaya East fields and a third exploration well in Bagong Pag-Asa, located approximately 15 kilometers north of Malampaya.
SOURCES: DOE, INQUIRER.NET ARCHIVES
READ:
Challenges
- Reports noted that in recent bidding, power plants using imported LNG secured at least 2,400 MW out of 3,000 MW of power supply contracts. These plants opted for imported LNG over the more cost-effective local Malampaya gas.
- No contracts were awarded to plants using local Malampaya gas.
AGRICULTURE
Increasing productivity
Increasing agricultural output has been a consistent theme of the Marcos administration since its first days in power.
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 97.5 percent (target rice sufficiency in five years)
- 12 percent (agriculture sector growth in 2023)
- 9 percent (agriculture contribution to GDP)
- 20.8 percent (share of agriculture in employment as of May 2024)
Protecting local farmers
As President Marcos Jr grapples with the challenges of raising agricultural productivity and keeping prices in check, experts remind the administration of its duty to protect Filipino farmers.
- P24.83 per kilogram (farm gate price of palay in first quarter 2024)
- P24.63 per kilogram (farm gate price of palay in second quarter 2024)
- 15 percent (new tariff on imported rice under E0 No. 62)
- P17 to P18 per kg (projected farm gate price of palay as result of E0 No. 62)
SOURCES: PSA, DR. TEODORO MENDOZA
POVERTY ALLEVIATION
Lowering poverty rate
In his first Sona in 2022, President Marcos Jr. announced the government target of lowering the poverty rate to 9 percent in 2028:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 16.2% (4.04 million households. Poverty rate in 1st semester 2018)
- 18% (4.74 million households. Poverty rate in 1st semester 2021)
- 16.4% (4.51 million households. Poverty rate in 2023)
- 230,000 (households out of poverty first quarter of 2023)
- 16 million families (out of poverty if a 9 percent rate is achieved)
Poverty and wages
The connection between poverty and wages is undeniable:
- 37 percent (value of average wage compared to living wage needed for a family of five)
- P1,210 (Daily living wage for a household with five members)
- P442 ( Current average nominal minimum wage)
SOURCE: IBON FOUNDATION
Feeling poor
The polling firm Social Weather Stations regularly measures perception of poverty:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 58 percent (respondents who said they were poor in SWS polling last June)
- 59 percent (respondents who said they were poor in SWS polling in 2008)
- 16 million (self-rated poor households in June, higher than 12.9 million in March)
Government intervention
The economic team of President Marcos Jr. announced steps to keep more people from falling into the poverty pit:
- 5 million (households tagged as beneficiaries of the cash aid Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program)
- P26.7 billion (budget set aside for Ayuda sa Kapos ang Kita Program or Akap, which targets poor and low-income households as beneficiaries)
- P3,000 (cash for Akap beneficiaries)
- P18.3 billion (released in 2023 to 9.2 million beneficiaries)
SOURCE: INQUIRER.NET ARCHIVES
RICE PRICES AND INFLATION
Marcos鈥� promise to lower the cost of rice to P20 per kilogram has remained elusive.
Prices of rice have remained above the target and have contributed to inflation:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 3.7 percent ( inflation rate last June)
- 3.9 percent (inflation last May)
- June 2023: 5.4%
- July 2023: 4.7%
- Aug. 2023: 5.3%
- Sept. 2023: 6.1%
- Oct. 2023: 4.9%
- Nov. 2023: 4.1%
- Dec. 2023: 3.9%
- Jan. 2024: 2.8%
- Feb. 2024: 3.4%
- March 2024: 3.7%
- April 2024: 3.8%
- May 2024: 3.9%
- June 2024: 3.7%
Inflation drivers
Food and alcoholic beverages still had the highest inflation rate at 6.1 percent.
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 22.5 percent (rice inflation last June)
- 23 percent (rice inflation last May)
- 23.9 percent (rice inflation last April)
- P48.55-P50.91 per kg (average cost of local regular and well-milled rice)
- P48.85-P53 per kg ( average cost of imported regular and well-milled rice)
What鈥檚 being done?
- P29 per kg (the price of rice now available in Kadiwa outlets for the poorest of the poor)
- EO 62 (issued by Marcos in June to bring down the cost of rice by P6-P7 per kg and lowering the tariff on imported rice to 15 percent)
- P26.6 billion (ayuda allotted in 2023 last as inflation rate hit 8.8 percent)
- EO 50 was extended in 2023, keeping modified rates on import duties for rice, corn, meat
SOURCE: INQUIRER.NET ARCHIVES
EDUCATION
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has pledged to transform the Philippine education system to improve global competitiveness and literacy rates. Here鈥檚 a summary of the current situation and progress.
PH students rank poorly in PISA reports
Previous reports by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) reveal a troubling situation for education in the Philippines: Filipino students consistently perform poorly, falling behind their peers in other countries in reading, mathematics, science, and creative thinking.
Graphics by Ed Lustan
READ:
READ: PH students still among lowest scorers in reading, math, science 鈥� Pisa
Most school buildings are long overdue for repairs
- 327,851 (school buildings in the Philippines)
- 104,536 (school buildings in good condition)
- 100,072 (school buildings needing minor repairs)
- 89,252 (school buildings needing major repairs)
- 21,727 (school buildings set for condemnation
Not enough classrooms
The country saw a shortage of 159,000 classrooms for the 2023-2024 school year 鈥� a huge jump from the previous year鈥檚 deficit of 91,000 classrooms.
SOURCE: DEPED
Lack of teachers
DepEd reported that 89,506 teaching positions have yet to be filled.
SOURCE: DEPED
What鈥檚 been done
- Curriculum reforms
- Infrastructure investments
- Salary increases and benefits
Promises
- Improve Philippine rankings in international assessments like PISA
- Increase budget allocation
- Strengthen digital learning
INFRASTRUCTURE
In his first Sona, President Marcos Jr. pledged to continue and expand the Build, Build, Build infrastructure program.
More infra projects underway
So far, these have been achieved or are on target:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 3 (projects completed between 2023 and 2024 worth P21.35 billion)
- 65 (projects ongoing which are 35.14 percent of total infrastructure flagship projects)
- 30 (projects approved for implementation)
- 5 (projects pending approval).
- 36 (projects in preparation stage)
- 46 (projects in pre-project preparation)
Completion target
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) noted that at least 70 of these infrastructure projects are expected to be completed by 2028, including:
- Flood risk mitigation for Cagayan de Oro River
- Samar Pacific Coastal Road
- Disaster risk and climate change adaptation in low-lying areas of Pampanga Bay.
Completed projects
From July 2022 to November 2023, the DPWH had already completed several projects:
- 7,715 kilometers of roads
- 969 bridges
- 2,410 flood control projects
- 6,439 rain water collector systems
- 389 kilometers of farm-to-market roads
- 12 kilometers of farm-to-mill roads
- 5,116 classrooms
SOURCE: DPWH
Record-high spending
Marcos Jr. has repeatedly said in previous Sona that he would pursue infrastructure development which would require high spending levels:
Graphics by Ed Lustan
- 5 to 6 percent (GDP share of spending for infrastructure)
- 5 to 6 percent (Department of Budget and Management allotment from the national budget in December 2022 for Build, Better, More the Marcos administration鈥檚 updated Build Build, Build program)
- 6.3 percent (projected share in GDP of infrastructure spending by 2028)
SOURCE: DBM
Progress so far
- P1.42 trillion (infrastructure disbursements in 2023 or 5.8 percent of GDP)
- P216.8 billion (infrastructure spending and capital outlay from January to March 2024, a 10 percent increase from P196.7 billion in the same period in 2023)
- P1.47 trillion (total infrastructure spending projected in 2024 or 5.6 percent of GDP)
- EO No. 9 was issued by Marcos to simplify the process of licenses, clearances, permits, and other requirements for infrastructure projects
SOURCES: DBM, DEVELOPMENT BUDGET COORDINATING COMMITTEE
READ: Bongbong Marcos to continue Duterte鈥檚 infrastructure program
READ: Let not the 鈥榞olden age of infrastructure鈥� end 鈥� Marcos
More infra promises
In previous Sona, Marcos listed infrastructure projects for completion by his administration:
- Upgrade airports and build new ones
- Promote undiscovered tourist spots.
- Continue ongoing infrastructure flagship projects.
- Railway projects
- Mega Bridge Program
SOURCE: INQUIRER.NET ARCHIVES
