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Marcos in 100 days: Putting out fires, reinforcing ties

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Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses the crowd during the opening of the 27th Agrilink/Foodlink/Aqualink Trade Fairs at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Oct. 6, 2022. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/10/07/20221006-marcos-agriculture-trade-jc-2457.jpg"/><figcaption>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addresses the crowd during the opening of the 27th Agrilink/Foodlink/Aqualink Trade Fairs at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Oct. 6, 2022. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — Since taking power in late June, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has put up what he calls a &quot;functional&quot; government, reinforced the country&#x27;s alliances, and weathered several controversies and calamities. </p><p>Here is a look at key events in Marcos&#x27; first 100 days in office. </p><div><strong> FINDING &#x27;BEST AND BRIGHTEST&#x27; </strong></div><p>Marcos on Wednesday said he succeeded in putting together a &quot;government which is functional and which has a very, very good idea of what we are targeting in terms of strict economic targets.&quot; </p><p>&quot;The promises that were made during the campaign, for example, that we bring the best and brightest and we do not look at color in terms of — political color, I think we have done that,&quot; he said in a gathering of journalists on Wednesday. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/22/22/list-members-of-president-elect-marcos-cabinet">Who&#x27;s who in President-elect Marcos&#x27; Cabinet</a></li></ul><p>But recent resignations have rocked Marcos&#x27; Cabinet. </p><p>His longtime aide Victor Rodriguez quit as executive secretary in September, saying he wanted to focus on his family and that he would serve instead as Marcos&#x27; chief of staff. Rodriguez&#x27;s resignation came weeks after he was tagged in a botched plan for sugar imports. </p><p>His replacement Lucas Bersamin this week denied a new post was given to Rodriguez. A day later, Rodriguez said he had &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/05/22/vic-rodriguez-says-completely-exited-marcos-admin">completely exited</a>&quot; the Marcos Cabinet. </p><p>Malacañang this week also announced the resignations of Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles and Commission on Audit chief Jose Calida due to health reasons. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2273102" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Political analyst Edna Co said the recent high-profile resignations did not speak well for Marcos, who ran on a platform of a &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/29/22/how-will-unity-play-out-in-marcos-administration">unifying leadership</a>.&quot; </p><p>“Hopefully that’s for the better kasi nag-aayos nga ng household... But it also makes the public also a bit nervous kasi paano natin iu-unify kung dun palang sa household parang hindi pala ready tayo na talagang go na tayo with full dedication and commitment,” said Co, former dean of the UP National College of Public Administration and Governance. </p><p>(Hopefully that’s for the better because the household is being put in order. But it also makes the public a bit nervous. How will we unify the country if in the household, it already seems like we are not ready to go with full dedication and commitment?) </p><p>The professor also questioned the President’s failure to appoint a health secretary, a critical post in the country’s response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.<br/> <br/>“We know the great enemy is the COVID-19 and we have to cross that humongous giant of an enemy. So no less than a DOH official should be at the forefront ng ating isang hindi lang national problem, kung hindi global,” Co told ABS-CBN News.</p><p>“We really have to deal with the pandemic more urgently, more seriously. Napakahalaga ng DOH bakit wala pa rin?” </p><p>(No less than a DOH official should be at the forefront of not just a national problem, but a global one... The DOH is very important, so why has it yet to get a secretary?) </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/20/22/doh-not-yet-seeing-end-of-covid-19-pandemic">DOH not yet seeing end of COVID-19 pandemic</a></li></ul><div><strong>PUTTING OUT FIRES</strong></div><p>Marcos acknowledged that some of the earliest days of his presidency were spent &quot;putting out fires.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We were just trying to make things work because suddenly the problem — you’re all aware, the problem with sugar supply, the problem with fertilizer,&quot; he said on Wednesday. </p><p>Marcos&#x27; first 100 days in office saw prices of commodities rising and the peso weakening against the dollar. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/05/22/inflation-hits-69-pct-in-september-as-food-costs-rise">Inflation quickens to 6.9 percent in September on higher food prices</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/07/22/marcos-admin-should-battle-inflation-head-on-analyst">Marcos admin should battle inflation &#x27;head on&#x27; to get better approval rating: analyst</a></li></ul><div> </div><p>A Pulse Asia survey released this week showed that while the Marcos administration secured majority public approval in 11 out of 13 issues, it got a negative 11 net approval rating on fighting inflation and an overall score of 13 on curbing poverty. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/10/07/22/are-filipinos-happy-with-marcos-admins-moves-vs-inflation">4 in 10 Pinoys unhappy with Marcos admin&#x27;s moves vs inflation: survey</a> </li></ul><p>Calamities also tested the young administration. On July 27, a powerful earthquake struck Abra province, shook buildings hundreds of kilometers away in Metro Manila, and damaged thousands of homes and heritage sites. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/28/22/abra-mayor-to-marcos-help-us-boost-disaster-response">Abra mayor asks for more firetrucks, ambulance after Luzon earthquake</a></li></ul><p>In late September, super typhoon Karding swept across Luzon, flooding low-lying communities and leaving at least a dozen dead. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/25/22/marcos-jr-monitoring-developments-on-karding-palace">Marcos Jr. monitoring developments on Karding, says Malacañang</a></li></ul><p>While thousands were still reeling from typhoon&#x27;s aftermath, Marcos drew flak for flying to Singapore unannounced to attend the prestigious and expensive Formula 1 Grand Prix. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2269169" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Critics called the weekend getaway “insensitive, irresponsible, and unnecessary.” Malacañang later dismissed such concerns and the President had a productive meeting with diplomats and potential investors during the trip.</p><p>“Although that was not an official state visit and based on what you read… if you will go by that account, he met there with many people who were very relevant to our business activities or the running of our government here. Now whether it was a fully paid trip or not is irrelevant,” Bersamin said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/10/03/22/malacaang-says-marcos-singapore-trip-productive">Malacañang says Marcos’ Singapore trip ‘productive’</a></li></ul><p>But Co said, “I think the President who stands tall behind 31 million [voters] has no occasion, &#x27;wag na nyang bigyang puwang ang kritiko na magkaroon ng chance na magkaroon ng question, kailangan ma-convince ng ating Pangulo even his own critics.&quot; </p><p>&quot;I would say, kung sinasabi ng Pangulo na unifying ito, convince natin ang critics natin, he’s doing well, he’s moving correctly and walang pwedeng mai-raise na katanungan,” she added. </p><p>(He should not give space for questions, our President should convince even his own critics. If he is really unifying, let us convince critics that he’s doing well, he’s moving correctly and there are no questions that could be raised.)</p><div><strong>REINFORCING ALLIANCES </strong></div><p>But even some critics gave Marcos credit for his recent statement that he would &quot;not preside over any process that will abandon even a square inch&quot; of Philippine territory to any foreign power. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2278909" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Compared to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos has taken a harder line on defending Philippine waters, insisting he would not let China trample on Manila&#x27;s maritime rights. <br/> </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/26/22/marcos-rejects-trampling-of-coastal-rights-in-west-ph-sea">Marcos wants &#x27;bilateral cooperation with China&#x27; while &#x27;asserting&#x27; claim in West PH Sea</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/10/22/marcos-govt-to-protest-china-sea-incursion-carlos">Marcos gov&#x27;t to keep protesting vs China sea incursion, says security adviser</a></li></ul><p>On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in September, he also expressed strong support for a decades-old alliance between the US and the Philippines, following rocky relations under Duterte.</p><p>Duterte had threatened to cancel drills and axe a key military deal with the United States as he pivoted towards China.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2247340" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>But Marcos told US President Joe Biden during a meeting in New York last month that he appreciated America&#x27;s role in &quot;maintaining the peace in our region&quot;. </p><p>This week, the US and the Philippines held the first of their annual<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/07/22/us-philippines-reinforce-alliance-with-joint-military-drills"> naval exercises</a> under Marcos. </p><p>Speaking before the UNGA, Marcos also painted a picture of a strong Philippines, one that is poised to become an <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/21/22/ph-on-track-towards-upper-middle-class-status-by-next-year-marcos">upper middle-income economy </a>within the first few years of his leadership.</p><p>“This is the coming-out party for the Philippines and we are able to explain, this is what the Philippines is now. This is what the Philippines looks like after 2 and a half years of crisis,” Marcos said on Wednesday. </p><p>“We have been able to show that the Philippines is standing on its feet. The Philippines has --- continues to have its aspirations and its dreams and we are willing to do our part in making those dreams come true.”</p><p>Malacañang said the President’s other engagements during recent trips in the United States, Indonesia and Singapore brought the Philippines billions of dollars&#x27; worth of investment pledges and strengthened other existing alliances. </p><div><strong>STAYING OUT OF ICC </strong></div><p>In the early days of his presidency, Marcos also revealed plans to continue his predecessor’s key programs, such as infrastructure push and the controversial war on drugs. </p><p>But this time, he said the anti-narcotics campaign would shift its focus from law enforcement to the prevention and treatment of drug addiction.</p><p>“I think we have found – and it is certainly my view – that enforcement, which has been the part of the drug war that has been most vigorously pursued by President Duterte only gets you so far,” Marcos said in a forum of the Asia Society in New York last Sept. 24.</p><p>He said he told the police, &quot;Look I’m not interested in the kid who makes P100 a week selling weed.&quot; </p><p>Instead, he said he wanted law enforcement to go after those who would &quot;make an actual difference&quot; on the narcotics supply. </p><p>But Marcos also said the Philippines had &quot;no intention&quot; of rejoining the International Criminal Court, which could reopen its investigation into thousands of killings under the drug war. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/24/22/icc-prosecutor-wants-to-resume-probe-on-ph-drug-war">ICC Prosecutor wants to resume probe on PH drug war</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/01/22/philippines-will-not-rejoin-icc-says-marcos">Marcos: Philippines &#x27;has no intention of rejoining&#x27; ICC</a></li></ul><div><br/><strong> HEADING AGRI DEPT </strong></div><p>Meanwhile, in assuming the post of agriculture chief, Marcos sought to resolve issues hounding the farm sector and ensure food security. </p><p>But it was also in agriculture that Marcos faced the first serious controversy under his term. </p><p>Amid a reported sugar shortage, Malacañang in August flagged the release of Sugar Order number 4, which authorized the importation of 300,000 metric tons of the sweetener. The Palace said Marcos did not sanction the plan. </p><p>Several officials of the Sugar Regulatory Administration resigned over the issue. </p><p>The Bureau of Customs, meanwhile, inspected warehouses in Luzon and discovered tons of sugar, which led Malacañang to confirm that there is no shortage of the commodity in the country.</p><p>But in subsequent investigations in Congress, some lawmakers questioned whether the Palace had authorized Sugar Order 4 in the first place. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/30/22/da-exec-cites-marcos-signals-in-approving-sugar-import">Ex-official, DA exec cite supposed &#x27;signals&#x27; from Marcos in approving sugar import</a></li></ul><p>Beyond its first 100 days in power, the Marcos administration would have to tame prices, address crimes including cases of media killings and harassment, and fight the pandemic. </p><p>“Sobrang laki ng demand sa ating bansa at sa pamunuan nito. And therefore the call really is revisit immediately the priorities what needs to be done and what prioritization needs to be declared, with full support of the President not leaving things to the Secretary,&quot; said Co. </p><p>&quot;I think marami ang inaasahan ng ating kababayan talaga,” she said.</p><p>(The demand on our country and its leadership is too great... I think our compatriots are expecting a lot.)</p>

In 100 days, President Marcos has put up a 'functional' government, reinforced alliances, and weathered several controversies and calamities. 

Marcos in 100 days: Putting out fires, reinforcing ties

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Marcos in 100 days: Putting out fires, reinforcing ties

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published October 07, 2022 08:13 PM PHT

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Marcos 100 days

first 100 days

Bongbong Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos

Marcos Jr

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