Headlines

In first 100 days, Marcos advised to focus on inadequate healthcare, economy, poor education

May 26, 2022 | 2:37pm

In first 100 days, Marcos advised to focus on inadequate healthcare, economy, poor education

President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. poses with his certificate of proclamation as the country's president with Senate President Vicente Sotto III, as family members including his mother and former first lady Imelda Marcos look on at the House of Representatives in Quezon City, Manila on May 25, 2022.

Philstar.com / Efigenio Toledo IV

MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon said Thursday that president-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. must exercise political will in the first 100 days of his term to address pressing issues facing the country, such as the inadequate healthcare and the poor education system.

Marcos Jr., who won the polls by a huge margin over his archrival Vice President Leni Robredo, was proclaimed the 17th president of the Philippines by Congress on Wednesday evening. He is set to assume his duties on the afternoon of June 30, when the outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte steps down.

"President-elect Bongbong Marcos should capitalize on the so-called ‘honeymoon period’ and exercise political will in the first 100 days of his presidency to address... four urgent issues that remain unresolved and define his legislative priorities," Drilon said in a statement shared by his media office.

He stressed that Marcos Jr. must focus on tackling "inadequate healthcare, an economy crippled by the pandemic, the failing education system and the weak rule of law."

Drilon explained that the pandemic exposed the weaknesses of the healthcare system. The lawmaker underscored the need for more hospitals, a stronger Universal Health Care Program, and the importance of appointing the right people in state insurer Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) which has been hounded by allegations of corruption.

"The country’s weak healthcare system coupled by the mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic put the country in a dire situation," he added.

READ: Frustration aired over government COVID-19 response, priorities

'Building a strong economy'

Drilon said that the incoming president should focus on building a strong economy by appointing the right economic managers who would be "team players."

"The President-elect must choose a strong and cohesive economic team that shares a common vision. His team must be able to formulate fiscal policies that will put the economy on a path to recovery," he said.

The national government's debt has hit P12.68 trillion as of March 2022. A month later, inflation hit 4.9%, the highest in three years, amid the rising prices of basic goods and oil products.

Drilon also pointed out that Marcos Jr. will have to address issues linked to what he called as the failing education system in the country which was worsened by COVID-19. Citing a World Bank report, the lawmaker said that nine out of ten primary school children aged 10 in the Philippines cannot read.

With the onset of the pandemic, schools were forced to shift to distance learning from traditional in-person classes. The abrupt transition brought about numerous problems, such as spotty internet, and the lack of funds for mobile data and gadgets required for distance learning.

Marcos Jr.'s appointee to lead the education department Sara Duterte-Carpio is also expected to address criticism over the K to 12 program, low pay of teachers and the low standing in international assessments of education systems, among others.

'Restoring confidence'

Drilon called on Marcos Jr. to restore the people's confidence in the rule of law and in the justice system, claiming that the Duterte administration's "war on drugs" reduced public trust in the system.

According to the former justice secretary, the rise in the number of extra-judicial killings and red-tagging incidents "are symptoms of a weak rule of law."

Global non-profit World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index ranked the Philippines as 102 among 139 countries in terms of following the rule of law in 2020, the worst ranking that the country has ever obtained, Drilon said.

During his campaign for the presidency, Marcos Jr. ran under the slogan of unity which proposed a broad continuation of the Duterte administration's policies.

Marcos Jr., backed by Partido Federal ng Pilipinas, ran alongside Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who was earlier proclaimed by Congress as vice president-elect after topping the polls.