Mr. President, strike hard and cleanse the system

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., now in the middle of his six-year term, stands at a critical crossroad.

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So does the country. The path he chooses today will either paint his legacy as a true reformer—or leave his administration remembered more for missed opportunities than meaningful change. His public outrage—a scathing statement during his fourth State of the Nation Address and repeated in his latest podcast—against the rot of corruption and the scandalous “budget insertions” in the annual appropriations is admirable. But indignation alone does not cleanse a government. Action does.

The Filipino people are tired—exhausted, even—by the cycle of political posturing that masquerades as reform. Presidents before Marcos have rallied against corruption. They’ve promised clean governance and pledged to uplift the ordinary Filipino. Yet the stink of patronage politics, unliquidated funds, ghost projects, and unexplained wealth continues to taint this nation of over 100 million people.

Now, President Marcos has made his move.