Midterm crossroads, midterm claims

With the conclusion of the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., introspection must be done regarding “hopes” given to the Filipino people about the current situation in the country.

Now in his midterm, Marcos’ challenge is to build solid ground for a bid for reelection in 2028. While the Palace has remained silent regarding a second term, much ado is needed to remain Marcos’ relatively neutral image in place.

Is 20 pesos actually doable?

While many can note the pioneering projects done by his father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., in agriculture, the younger Marcos continues to live up to the pro-agricultural name.

At the onset of the Marcos administration, the premise was an agricultural powerhouse, repeatedly predicting that soon, rice will be available at twenty pesos for a kilo.

“Napatunayan natin na kaya na natin ang bente pesos sa bawat kilo ng bigas… Ilulunsad na natin ito sa buong bansa,” Marcos said.

(We have proven that we can achieve 20 pesos per kilo of rice… We will launch this nationwide).

Marcos’ claim, however, that twenty pesos per kilo is possible, remains a false hope.

According to the Manila Bulletin, while the “Benteng Bigas, Meron Na!” program makes P20 rice available to select sectors, such as households under the 4PS program, senior citizens, PWDs, and minimum wage earners; it does not yet provide twenty peso rice for the general population.

Reds spilled, or spilling red?

In addition to facing considerable challenges in the agricultural sector, Marcos is waging another war against a never-ending guerilla front.

Since its inception in 1969, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) has been continuing to wage a protracted peoples’ war against the government.

And while the CPP-NPA is the primary insurgency in the country, it definitely is not the only one.

However, Marcos claims that the group, once numbering at the ten thousands, and many others, have ceased to exist.

“At sa wakas, wala na ring nalalabing grupong gerilya sa bansa, at titiyakin ng pamahalaan na wala nang mabubuo muli,” Marcos said.

(And finally, there are no remaining guerrilla groups in the country, and the government will ensure no new ones are formed again.)

However, reports from both sides of the communist insurgency and the government say otherwise. 

Reds, reporting themselves as heroes, say that they continue to spill blood over their insurgent aim; while government-backed organizations continue to enforce a narrative the red blood is being spilled by the reds.

As of 2024, however, while most guerilla fronts have been dismantled, with only seven weakened groups remaining, continued recruitment of armed fighters is being done in the endless cycle of bloody tactics.

Drug war won, or drug war again?

Getting a framework that is reversed of his predecessor, Marcos aims to decrease the incidence of crime and drug abuse during his administration.

Marcos reiterated his “bloodless” fight against illegal drugs and mentioned that the crime rate is reportedly decreasing.

“Kaya naman, ang lipunan natin ngayon ay mas mapayapa. Mas mapangalaga rin sa karapatang-pantao, anuman ang edad, kasarian, kundisyon, o pangkat,” Marcos said.

(That is why our society today is more peaceful. It also gives greater protection to human rights, regardless of age, gender, condition, or group.)

However, VERA Files’ Dahas Project documented 362 drug-related killings in the second year of the Marcos administration, exceeding the 342 killings reported in the previous year.

As of July 7, the project recorded 1,009 drug-related killings in the first three years of the Marcos administration, too far from the promise that society is now more peaceful.

Visibility or simply good public relations?

Marcos, along with these promises in rehabilitation of the education system, strengthening the facilities for mental health, and the building of a more “habitable” society, remains unseen.

While Marcos continues to build an image of openness to the West, the administration needs to focus more on home matters.

Matters which, hopefully in another year, is not a set of false hopes.