The inaugural speech of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. was a preamble to his first State of the Nation Address (SONA). The SONA provided a broader explanation and discussion of the concerns, issues, and sectors that need to be prioritized as tackled in the inaugural speech.

Among other important things, the economic agenda of the Marcos Jr. government envisions that the country would achieve middle-income status by 2024 and economic growth of 6.5% to 8% from 2023-2028.

Meanwhile, the headline goal or target for average inflation is 2%-4% between 2024 and 2028. The targets also include improving foreign exchange to between P51-P55 per $1 in 2023-2028, increasing the exports of goods by 6% from 2023-2028, and imports by 8% in the same period. Read More

As the new administration begins its six-year term, the Stratbase ADR Institute, together with Democracy Watch Philippines, organized a virtual town hall to reveal the results of a commissioned study on the Filipino voter’s perception of the conduct and legitimacy of the 2022 national elections. Election experts and democracy advocates from the academe, civil society, and government, engaged in a deep dive discussion to give their insightful analyses of the survey data and important learnings that can further improve the administration and voter experience of the automated election system.  Read More

The Stratbase Albert Del Rosario Institute commemorated the sixth anniversary of the July 12 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague by holding an international conference on “Redefining Maritime Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific in an Age of Uncertainty.”

A victory of epic proportions, the legal recognition of our maritime rights is further attested to by the growing public concern on the West Philippine Sea issue. Read More

Over the years, the maritime domain has become a key security concern in the Indo-Pacific. Territorial disputes, unlawful acts against the safety of maritime navigation, and illegal activities in the fisheries sector have affected global efforts to promote and advance a rules-based maritime order.

The increasing complexity of the region’s security architecture caused by China’s expansionism has also undermined the capacity of states to manage and address issues collectively. Read More

As an archipelagic state, the Philippines has sovereignty and jurisdiction over vast marine resources, which it needs to protect. With the benefits of a maritime environment comes the complexity of security concerns within and outside the country’s territory. To effectively harness its inherent maritime potential, the Philippines needs to invest in developing its physical, human, technological, and policy capabilities to secure its maritime jurisdiction and enhance its power projection.   Read More

Leadership change or political succession is a regular occurrence in a democratic system. However, after the recent electoral cycle and the proclamation of the new president, acting beyond politics is imperative for the new administration in the new normal.

Confronted by provocative and challenging views from all sides of the political spectrum, the Marcos Jr. presidency is welcomed by a generally optimistic attitude from the Filipinos. This is evidenced by a historic victory of more than 31 million votes. Read More

President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. identified the Philippine economy as his number one priority. Specifically, this includes increasing public-private partnerships, continuing President Duterte’s flagship “Build, build, build” infrastructure program, improving the Philippine power sector to boost the country’s industrialization, ensuring the proper collection of taxes and duties, and strengthening partnerships with other countries to achieve recovery post-pandemic. He has also stated that he will welcome more investments from the United States. Read More