The Year Forebodes Tomorrow

Are We Waiting for Results or Broken Promises?

Time has passed by– that we are to notice that it has already been a year after the Philippines Election 2022 transpired. With glorified smiles of the victors and heavy hearts of the fighters, what did happen during the past 365 days?

A quick recap before proceeding: the 2022 Philippine presidential and vicepresidential elections happened on May 9, 2022. Marcos’ presidential transition began on May 25, 2022, and was inaugurated as the seventeenth president of the Philippines on June 30, 2022.

Now for his works, he promised plenty, especially continuing on the projects of the Duterte administration. One fact, however, is the bilateral agreements, and how it has been shady lately.

During the first 30 days of the Marcos presidency, it has been noticed by the public of his connections with China and how he himself declared that China is the Philippines’ “strongest partner.” The timing of the statement could’ve been better as during those times were the tensions arose regarding the South China Sea conflict.

In the present however, he has been engaging countries in pursuit of “strengthening alliances.” A country notable mention of that is the United States. There were virtual meetings with Secretary of State Antony Blinken on August 6, 2022. Same year, mid-November, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Palawan and was soon followed after were White House press releases under her name. It was about the “New Initiatives to Strengthen U.S.-Philippines Alliance” and “Initiatives to Support U.S.-Philippine Maritime Cooperation.”

Now from the aforementioned interactions, there are too other officials, (aside from the political and military leaders) who also happen to visit the country, specifically Manila. Still, results of it was related and surrounded the topics of improving and interlocking the U.S.-Philippine relations.

Other countries were involved as well: Marcos Jr. approached and engaged in an aim to reestablish and reinforce relationships with Georgia, Indonesia, Australia, Canada, Japan, and even Israel. Yet all of this has seemingly been contradictory with his connection with China.

Marcos Jr. himself was vocal at the 2022 ASEAN Summit, about establishing a “code of conduct” in South China Sea. His proclamation opened discussions, specifically from the top defense officials of the country, Australia, and the United States, in regards to initiating joint patrols there amidst “aggressive attacks” of China in undisputed waters.

Observers themselves noted that Marcos has readily pulled away from China and Russia. It has been noticeable after the ongoing war of Russia and Ukraine.

To the Supposed “Ongoing” Promises

Under his presidency and his campaign, Marcos Jr. has proclaimed to continue Duterte administration’s projects, specifically those relating to infrastructure development. Out of 194 projects, 71 were from the previous administration and at least 123 are new initiatives. Not only said prospects are infrastructure, it also involves digital connectivity, flood control, healthrelated initiatives, power and energy, and so on.

It is said that there are already 95 on going projects have been approved for implementation, eight to have gotten a go-signal from the administration, 47 still in the stages of pertaining feasibility studies and 44 are in so-called, “pre-project preparations.”

“This is part of our Build Better More program, that aims to improve living conditions of the different sectors in our country,” Marcos Jr. said in his Youtube video entitled BBM VLOG #239. He added, to go through said improvements, it has to go through the transition of modernization and by improving the quality of the country’s public infrastructure.

Up to a more recent case, Marcos Jr. exclaimed that the Asian Development Bank may assist in Department of Social Welfare and Development’s proposal to the introduction of “food stamps” to the “poorest of the poor.”

Another one of his vows, that Marcos Jr. declared under his campaign, was the improvement of agriculture and the lowering of rice to the amount of twenty (20) pesos per kilo.

We may also take notice of his 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda, which consists of Food Security, Improved Transportation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Health Care, Education, Social Services, Sound Fiscal Management, and Bureaucratic Efficiency. This agenda intends to be the starting point for the spending priorities under the Marcos Jr.’s presidency.

All of these “actions,” and “on-the-go’s,” yet we still fail to see an end result. Marcos Jr. may have proclaimed that implementation and progress may take longer – years and/or maybe even time that will exceed his reign as the country’s seventeenth president.

He vowed to do so much, yet after a year, these “progresses” are yet to garner results.

Are we to wait for a while longer? And if so, are these vows guaranteed to be completed?

We are yet to know, there are still six years to come really – yet we too shouldn’t trust so easily. History has yet to repeat itself (though hopefully not), and maybe this time, we can hope for a slightly better future – to cancel the negativity of foreboding tomorrow.

Ramadan.