Little time left?

BBM was at a hospital overnight for an ailment that he claims is under control.

- BOO CHANCO

But he has cut back on his official functions, delegating some public appearances to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.The President isn’t the only one sick. The economy is too.

For those of us who can remember, the slowdown we are experiencing now is reminiscent of the early 80s when we were known then as the “sick man of Asia.”

At least we are not bankrupt now as we were with the first Marcos in the early 80s. But our low growth rate will make us unattractive to investors. The latest GDP data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is showing our economy’s vital signs are not too good.

The disease is corruption. It was corruption that dragged our economy down. That's what BBM must focus on.

BBM has directed his economic team to implement “true reform” to strengthen the country’s economy. He supposedly ordered his economic managers to focus on strategies to stimulate economic growth such as digitalization and fast-tracking of infrastructure projects.

That's well and good as press releases go. He doesn’t have to give those instructions if his economic managers are competent. Also, neither digitalization nor infrastructure projects can produce results fast enough to boost the morale of Filipinos now when we need it most. People want him to address corruption first.

Actually, decisive moves on getting accountability on the corruption scandal (jailing the “big fish’) and fast-tracking infrastructure projects must happen at the same time.

Government consumption fell significantly from 18.7 percent in the start of the year (Q1 2025) and 9.0 percent in Q4 2024 to 3.7 percent in Q4 2025. That reflects the fear of bureaucrats to spend and the imposition of stricter measures on infrastructure projects toward the end of the year.