As the Marcos, Jr. administration culminates its second year and phases into its third year, a timely assessment of its performance in different sectors and the challenges it has endured in the first two years is warranted. This serves as a barometer along which its midterm performance can be gauged and also becomes the basis of prognosis and evaluation for the remaining years of its term.  

For one, public sentiment is the first and foremost ground under which the assessment of a particular administration can be carried out. From 2022 to 2024, the challenges in terms of urgent national concerns, public support, and performance ratings of the Marcos Jr. administration will be discussed, alongside the favorable and unfavorable ground realities for his government.

In the economic realm, the objective of having a stable GDP for the past two years in terms of foreign investments, trade, and ease of doing business in the country will be dissected. Discussions will delve into the efforts and initiatives of the Marcos Jr. administration in creating an enabling regulatory environment for the conduct of business and the entry of investors in the country.

Regarding environmental governance, several questions need to be addressed: How has the administration performed in terms of security of water supply in the country? As to the exploration, extraction, and production of critical minerals, what actions can we expect from the government following its pronouncement that mining performs a considerable role in economic growth? And related to climate change, can we further expect Philippine compliance to the COP26? 

To the pressing need of defending our national sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea, the further strengthening of the external defense capability of the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard, the country’s strategic partnerships with like-minded states, and disinformation being proliferated by China and the consequent actions of the government will be the main subjects. In light of the 8^th anniversary of the Philippine arbitral victory, analysis and recommendations on how the current administration can boost the protection of our national sovereignty will be presented. 

And as we are entering another mid-term election period, there is a need to identify the governance and suffrage prospects that are in store for Filipino voters in 2025. Will the POGO concern be an overbearing issue among the senatorial, congressional, and local candidates or will it be a major concern among the electorate? Has the run for constitutional reform ended or is it gaining another momentum amid the growing economic challenges and geopolitical tensions? Will there be strong political alliances in 2025 or merely alliances to win? 

In line with this, the Democracy Watch Philippines, in partnership with the Stratbase ADR Institute, organized a virtual townhall discussion entitled, “The Two Years of Marcos, Jr. Administration: Sectoral Assessments and Policy Recommendations” last July 24, 2024 (Wednesday), from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM (PHT) via Zoom.  

This event brought together top political, economic, and national security experts that provided insights and assessments on President Bongbong Marcos Jr.’s two years in office and enumerated policy recommendations moving forward, especially in light of the upcoming 2025 mid-term elections.