Concrete action against corruption crucial to Marcos’ legacy, analysts say

By Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Reporter

PHILIPPINE President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. should translate his reform rhetoric into concrete action as his final two years in office near, analysts said with corruption, institutional reform and delivery failures emerging as defining tests of his presidency.

The window for shaping a lasting legacy is narrowing, with public skepticism persisting despite repeated pledges to clean up government.

Arjan P. Aguirre, who teaches political science at Ateneo de Manila University, said Mr. Marcos must confront what he described as a credibility deficit that has undercut his anti-corruption messaging.

While the President has made strong pronouncements, Mr. Aguirre said that restoring trust would require demonstrable steps, such as backing a Freedom of Information law, protecting the independence of investigative bodies, and pushing for long-stalled legislation against political dynasties.

“President Marcos should take the project of building his legacy more seriously,” he said via Facebook Messenger, adding the President must confront his “credibility problem.”

“Restoring public trust requires more than rhetoric; it demands concrete action.”

Earlier this month, Mr. Marcos urged Congress to prioritize the passage of an anti-political dynasty measure despite belonging to one of the country’s most powerful political clans himself.

The call was framed as part of a broader push to strengthen democratic institutions and level the political playing field, with the Presidential Palace saying that entrenched family rule has weakened accountability amid a widening graft scandal.

As the administration looks toward 2026, Ederson DT. Tapia, a University of Makati political science professor, said the President’s challenge is shifting from agenda-setting to institutional discipline.

With policy priorities already laid out, he said the focus should now be on execution — pushing difficult reforms through Congress, enforcing coherence across agencies and delivering results that outlast political cycles.

“This includes long-delayed legislation such as the anti-political dynasty bill, stronger campaign finance regulation, and more credible budget transparency and fiscal accountability measures,” he said via Facebook Messenger.

He added that these reforms go to the core of how political power is exercised and restrained.

Jean S. Encinas-Franco, a political science professor at the University of the Philippines, also said that anti-corruption enforcement should be a central component of the President’s agenda, including the arrest and prosecution of corrupt officials.

She warned that flood control — amid recurring infrastructure failures and allegations of misuse of funds — could become the defining issue of the administration.

“If he does well in addressing this, he will have a legacy to leave behind,” Ms. Encinas-Franco said via Viber. “Otherwise, his administration will be remembered for corruption.”

She added that reforms to make the budget process less vulnerable to corruption and excessive political discretion should be a priority in 2026, particularly as lawmakers debate next year’s spending plan amid heightened scrutiny over public funds.

The proposed 2026 General Appropriations Act is under intensified scrutiny following allegations that billions of pesos in unprogrammed funds were inserted into this year’s national budget.

Despite heightened scrutiny in the budget-making process due to the graft scandal, the bicameral conference committee still approved P243 billion in standby funds, undoing earlier attempts to curb the mechanism after the Senate version reduced the allocation to P174.55 billion — roughly P68.66 billion less than the P243.22 billion passed by the House.

Such funds are contentious because, while intended to provide flexibility for emergencies or unforeseen needs, their excessive or opaque use can weaken fiscal discipline and undermine accountability.

Mr. Tapia said a “successful” 2026 would not be marked by new slogans or headline initiatives, but by measurable progress.

He cited food security, disciplined infrastructure rollout and fully functioning digital government services as key indicators of whether the administration has moved from promises to performance.

“For President Marcos, success would mean being remembered less for rhetoric and more for stewardship,” he added. “For helping anchor reforms within institutions and restoring confidence in government as a system that works, even without constant spectacle.”

The Philippines is probing a massive graft scandal following Mr. Marcos’ exposé last July in his fourth State of the Nation Address.

He alleged that high-ranking government officials and contractors were colluding to receive kickbacks from public works projects, specifically flood control plans in a climate-vulnerable country.

Since the scandal erupted, the country has suffered economically, following a lackluster third-quarter economic growth and a historical low in Philippine peso values.