2026: No room for failure

After seasons of resilience, recovery talk, and reform pledges, this is the year business groups have quietly but firmly marked as not symbolic, not transitional, but decisive. 2026 is the year when the Philippines must finally prove it can execute.

Across chambers and industry groups, the message is strikingly consistent — the economy does not need more laws or slogans. It needs delivery, where permits are processed much faster, rules are predictable, structural costs are lower, and governance is cleaner. In short, reforms that Filipinos can feel — not just read about.

At the top of everyone’s wish list is cost competitiveness, especially for power. Calls to review the VAT on electricity and reduce energy-related charges are not ideological — they are practical. High power costs raise food prices, weaken manufacturing, and quietly tax every household and enterprise. If government wants to tame inflation sustainably and attract investment, this is where reform becomes real.

Equally urgent is predictability. Businesses can plan around taxes, as most struggle with uncertainty. That is why digitalization efforts like e-invoicing, faster tax processing, streamlined compliance are topics that are often brought up during policy conversations. And this is not about convenience, but is about cutting discretion, speeding up transactions, and reducing opportunities for rent-seeking. A modern economy runs on systems, not queues.

Sharpened by recent controversies, governance also dominates the reform conversations.

Business groups are no longer satisfied with generic anti-corruption pledges. Most business groups are pushing for programs that link beneficial ownership records to procurement and tax databases, publishing project disbursements and contract variations online, triggering joint audits when red flags appear, and building public dashboards that citizens can regularly access or monitor.

These are not radical ideas but are global standards for transparency. At the same time, renewed calls for an independent anti-corruption body have emerged, particularly one with real investigative and prosecutorial teeth, not just advisory functions. Whether this gains traction in Congress will signal how serious the political system is about policing itself.

All of this gives 2026 a weight that goes beyond economics. It is the administration’s hinge year heading toward 2028 — not because the presidency is on the ballot, but because administrations are judged by outcomes, not intentions. Allies seek continuity. Voters assess competence. And narratives harden.

As a Poll Starter, if reforms this year result in fewer scandals, smoother project execution, lower everyday costs, and visible accountability, then the administration builds its strongest political asset–credibility. Jobs created, prices stabilized, and corruption curtailed are more persuasive than any campaign message. Competence travels faster than rhetoric.

But the risk cuts both ways. If 2026 is remembered as another year of delayed projects, expensive power, budget controversies, and familiar corruption headlines — especially in public works — then 2028 becomes a referendum on execution failure. Filipinos already know how governance lapses translate into flooded streets, higher prices, and missed opportunities.

This year 2026 will separate reform talk from reform performance. The policies are on the table, the expectations are clear, and the consequences are known. What happens next will shape investment confidence today and political fortunes tomorrow. For an administration seeking lasting relevance, this is not merely another year in office, but a year that will define records.