The President’s 2025 promises: A year later
Marcos vowed to keep inflation low to preserve the purchasing power of every Filipino and he failed —spectacularly.
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Marcos vowed to keep inflation low to preserve the purchasing power of every Filipino and he failed —spectacularly.
One year after President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. laid out an ambitious economic agenda in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SoNA), many of his biggest promises remain works in progress.
The administration entered the period with inflation easing, interest rates falling, and major infrastructure projects moving forward.
But those gains were soon overshadowed by the widening investigation into ghost and substandard flood control projects, a sharp slowdown in government infrastructure spending and, later, a Middle East-driven energy shock that reignited inflation.
As a result, the government’s performance has become a story of mixed results.
While renewable energy projects, classroom construction, and anti-corruption initiatives have advanced, household budgets remain under pressure, infrastructure spending has weakened, and several flagship commitments remain years from completion.
Here’s how DAILY TRIBUNE graded the President.
Lowering the cost of living — FAIL
Marcos vowed to keep inflation low to preserve the purchasing power of every Filipino and he failed — spectacularly.
Inflation averaged 1.7 percent in 2025, down from 3.2 percent in 2024 and well below the 6.0 percent average previously recorded. The Department of Finance attributed the slowdown to the improved food supply and lower global commodity prices.
The favorable inflation environment enabled the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to cut policy rates in support of economic growth.
However, RCBC chief economist Michael Ricafort said economic activity weakened as government spending slowed following the flood control controversy.
“Local economic growth [is] still relatively slower, due largely to government underspending since the anomalous flood control projects [issue emerged] in the latter part of 2025,” Ricafort said.
The gains proved temporary. Following the outbreak of the Gulf war in February this year, inflation climbed to 7.2 percent in April as domestic fuel prices surged. Although inflation eased to 6.4 percent in June after fuel price rollbacks and easing geopolitical tensions, prices remain substantially higher than a year earlier.
Regardless of the cause, Filipinos continue to feel the impact through higher transport, electricity, and food costs.
Infrastructure, budget efficiency and combating corruption — FAIL
The most memorable moment of Marcos’ 2025 SoNA came when he admonished those behind anomalous flood control projects: “Mahiya naman kayo!” (Have some shame).
The President vowed to simultaneously sustain his infrastructure program while pursuing those responsible for the alleged anomalies.
Some flagship projects have moved forward. Additional stations under the LRT-1 Cavite Extension opened, while the Metro Manila Subway, North-South Commuter Railway, MRT-7 and Meralco Terra Solar Project continued construction. The government also approved new projects, including the LRT-1 Common Station.
Yet overall infrastructure spending slowed markedly.
Department of Budget and Management (DBM) data showed infrastructure and capital outlays fell 48.0 percent year on year in March 2026, 51.7 percent in April, and 45.6 percent in the first four months of the year. The government attributed much of the slowdown to reviews of flood control projects.
The anti-corruption campaign likewise produced significant developments. Authorities reviewed more than 9,800 flood control projects worth about P545 billion, referred evidence to the Office of the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice, suspended officials, and initiated criminal investigations.
Audits found that 15 contractors received roughly one-fifth of the flood control spending, while projects worth more than P1 billion lacked clear descriptions of the infrastructure they were intended to build. The Ombudsman also investigated 209 complaints and suspended 16 DPWH personnel in Bulacan.
Despite these actions, accountability remains lacking. The government has yet to disclose how many anomalous projects have been fully resolved or how much public money has been recovered. The Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) was dissolved after officials said it had served its purpose, even as major investigations remained pending.
Ricafort said stronger governance reforms remain essential to restoring confidence.
“There [is] still the need to pass more reform measures... that further elevate good governance standards in terms of greater accountability and transparency of government transactions,” he said.
Expanding energy access — INCOMPLETE
Marcos pledged to provide electricity to at least one million additional households through solar energy while expanding power generation nationwide.
Progress here has been uneven.
Government data show about 2.6 million households still have no electricity. The Department of Energy’s own roadmap allocates solar home systems to 858,190 households — short of the President’s stated target.
Nevertheless, several major renewable energy projects have advanced, including the Meralco Terra Solar Project in Nueva Ecija, which is expected to become one of the world’s largest integrated solar and battery storage facilities.
Ricafort said accelerating renewable energy development would strengthen the country’s long-term energy security and reduce its vulnerability to external oil price shocks.
Invest in education and skills — INCOMPLETE
The administration has shifted from planning to implementation in education.
The DBM released P17.27 billion for 4,960 classrooms under the DepEd-LGU partnership, while DepEd secured 32,916 new teaching positions for School Year 2026-2027.
The ARAL learning recovery program has reached millions of learners, and the government’s largest classroom public-private partnership project has entered the procurement stage.
Even so, the gains address only a fraction of the country’s estimated 145,000-classroom shortage. PSIP III has yet to break ground, while overcrowded classrooms and weak learning outcomes continue to challenge the education system.
Overall grade — INCOMPLETE
Most of the commitments outlined in Marcos’ 2025 SoNA extend through 2028, giving the administration time to deliver on many of its promises.
Yet after a year defined by the flood control scandal, slower infrastructure spending, and an external energy shock, the administration has yet to translate many of its commitments into outcomes that Filipinos can experience in their daily lives.
Marcos still has nearly two years to fulfill the promises he made last year. But the measure of success has shifted.
The question is no longer whether the administration can announce reforms. It is whether it can deliver lower prices, completed infrastructure, better schools, reliable energy, and accountable governance before his term ends in June 2028.
