Philippines logs worst political patronage level in 40 years
The Philippines rose to a four-decade high of 0.826 out of possible 1 in the 2025 Clientelism Index by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Institute. On a scale of 0 to 1, where 1 represents higher instances of clientelism and a weaker democratic situation, the Philippines is the second highest among its peers in the Southeast Asian region, only behind Myanmar. The index measures how much political activity relies on clientelism, where voters receive targeted goods, jobs, or cash in return for their electoral support.
