Marcos is now in charge, is he up for it?

[ASEAN NOW News]

Now the inauguration and all the parties and celebrations are over at last President Marcos can put his feet under the table and get stuck in.

 

He didn’t waste much time as he met with Australia’s Governor General who was the first head of State to meet the new chief executive.

BILATERAL MEET. Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley meets with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the Malacañan Palace on Thursday (June 30, 2022). This is the first face-to-face meeting between the new chief executive and a foreign head of state. (Photo courtesy of Australian Embassy in Manila)

 

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. received on Thursday Australia's Governor-General David Hurley for a bilateral meeting at Malacañan Palace after his inauguration.

 

The Governor-General was also the highest-level dignitary to attend Marcos' inauguration at the National Museum on June 30, reflecting the importance Australia places on its long-standing relations with the Philippines.

 

“I am delighted to be in the Philippines, one of Australia’s closest neighbors, to see the work our countries are doing to elevate our bilateral partnership towards a Strategic Partnership. Our enduring friendship is anchored by our values of mateship and bayanihan,” Hurley said.

 

During their meeting, the heads of state discussed the expanding cooperation between Australia and the Philippines in defense, development, trade, and people-to-people links.

 

100 days ahead

 

So, what does Marcos need to do to secure the Philippines as a trading nation while still ensuring he keeps within a sensible budget?

 

A pandemic and soaring oil prices would be a challenge for any incoming leader.

 

Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the Philippines right now is its sluggish economy. The president-elect will need to revive it. 

 

He will also be greeted by a mounting energy crisis. The Malampaya natural gas fields that supply around a third of Luzon's energy requirement are expected to be depleted in 2024.

 

The country’s dependence on other sources like hydro power was limited by the El Niño phenomenon while geothermal power has issues of ground stability apart from material problems affecting equipment.

 

Marcos may need to provide incentives and support to endeavors geared toward harnessing other sources of renewable energy.

 

 Will this constrain his administration to allow PxP Energy Corp. (formerly Philex Petroleum Corp.) to proceed where it was stopped by the outgoing administration from conducting oil exploration activities fearing that it may offend China?

 

Will he consider and push for the construction of nuclear power plants, which the late former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., his father, envisioned 46 years ago?

 

Internal issues

 

The lingering and pestering problem with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) has outlived six government administrations.

 

The challenge to BBM is how to end this menace that stunted economic development in the countryside and undermined political stability for more than 50 years.

 

The next one hundred days known in political terms as “the honeymoon period” should be interesting for sure.

 

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[bangon04]

maybe he doesn't need to worry about the economy - all he has to do is follow his father's example and send all the peasants overseas as slave labour to increase the remittances.

[n00dle]

8 minutes ago, bangon04 said:

maybe he doesn't need to worry about the economy - all he has to do is follow his father's example and send all the peasants overseas as slave labour to increase the remittances.

like that isnt already the status quo?

of all the places i have lived, the Philippines is the only place i couldn't find information on the internet about sendng money OUT. Every thing on the internet covers sending money in,