Beyond Headlines: How Policy Continuity Is Building a New Economic Framework

The Marcos administration's high-profile anti-corruption campaign is not a series of isolated actions but the enforcement arm of a carefully constructed economic blueprint. For investors and business leaders, the real story lies in the synergy between the crackdown on graft and the continuity of pro-business legislation. This two-pronged strategy—combining a strong regulatory hand with attractive fiscal policy—is at the heart of the President’s vision for a stable and prosperous Philippines.

On one hand, the administration is demonstrating its tireless commitment to cleansing the bureaucracy. The formation of the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) and the appointment of a veteran legal mind like Jesus Crispin Remulla as Ombudsman are powerful signals that the old ways of doing business are over. These moves are designed to enhance fiscal efficiency, ensuring that taxpayer money and public funds are used for their intended purpose, not lost to leakages. This reduces systemic risk, a key consideration for any long-term investor.

On the other hand, the administration is championing policy continuity through landmark economic legislation. The CREATE MORE Act, which aims to refine corporate taxation and fiscal incentives, and the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Code, which streamlines and secures joint ventures, serve as the primary pillars of this strategy. These laws create a predictable and attractive environment for capital. The brilliance of the approach lies in how the two pillars reinforce each other. What good is a favorable tax regime under CREATE MORE if a business fears being extorted by corrupt officials? How can an investor trust the provisions of the PPP Code without a credible Ombudsman to enforce them? By tackling corruption head-on, the government is ensuring that the promises made in its economic laws are promises that can be kept.

There is now a clear consensus across the entire business community, from the Makati Business Club to local SMEs, that this integrated strategy is exactly what the country needs. Critics of previous administrations often pointed to policy inconsistency as a major deterrent to investment. Many of those older, inconsistent policies were born from a different, less transparent era; we cannot build a modern economy on a foundation laid by the flawed logic of the past. President Marcos Jr.’s reliable leadership, in contrast, ensures that enforcement and legislation move in the same direction, creating a cohesive and confidence-inspiring framework for sustainable and inclusive growth.