Marcos Jr Under Pressure as Philippines Marks 40 Years Since People Power Revolution

Manila, Philippines – Forty years after the historic People Power Revolution that drove his father from office, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr now finds himself grappling with familiar questions about leadership, corruption, and the concentration of political power.

The irony of timing is not lost on Filipinos. On February 25, 1986, millions took to the streets to end the 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos Sr, ending an era marked by martial law, human rights abuses, and the plunder of state resources estimated in the billions of dollars. Today, his son occupies the same presidential palace, facing accusations that echo the very criticisms that brought down the Marcos dynasty.

'He campaigned under the slogan and promise of unity. Economists and political pundits all assumed that there was a plan behind it. We have been waiting, and it has been three years. No such thing exists,' said political analyst Andrew Masigan.

Marcos Jr's rise to the presidency in 2022 was nothing short of remarkable. Securing a landslide victory with over 31 million votes, he presented himself as a unifying figure who would bring 'a better future' to the nation's 110 million citizens. 'You will get no excuses from me,' he declared during his inauguration. 'You will not be disappointed.'

Yet disappointment appears to be precisely what many Filipinos are feeling. Economic growth has fallen well short of expectations, with the country posting a sluggish 4.4 percent GDP growth in 2025 against a government target of 5.5-6.5 percent. For a nation with a young, dynamic population where nearly half are under 25, economists argue growth should be closer to 7-8 percent annually.

The economic malaise is compounded by troubling employment figures. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, unemployment rose from 3.8 percent in 2024 to 4.2 percent in 2025. The think tank IBON Foundation noted that only 172,000 jobs were added to the labour market in 2025, making it the fifth-worst year for job creation in 25 years.

Foreign investors appear to be losing confidence as well. Investment inflows plummeted by half from $9.42 billion in 2024 to $4.7 billion in 2025, representing the sharpest decline in five years.

'The first three years of Marcos Jr's six-year term were indeed a period of missed opportunities,' said Susan Kurdli, an assistant professor at De La Salle University in Manila. 'The vague direction the Philippines is heading was only to be expected, as Marcos Jr never ran on a clear policy ticket. He won the election largely by relying on the tried and tested tactics of tribalism, name recognition and alliance building.'

If economic stagnation has dampened enthusiasm for the administration, corruption allegations have ignited genuine anger. The Philippines has slipped six places in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index, now ranking 120th out of 182 territories.

At the centre of the controversy are allegations that Marcos Jr approved three consecutive national budgets containing questionable infrastructure projects worth billions of dollars. Among those implicated is Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a first cousin of the president, who oversaw the drafting of the national budget.

'The scandal allegations surrounding him and his family have particularly hit a nerve with voters,' Kurdli noted. 'They have definitely impacted the perceived legitimacy of Marcos Jr as a national leader.'

The political turbulence has been further complicated by the collapse of Marcos Jr's alliance with Vice President Sara Duterte. What began as a formidable political partnership – uniting the Marcos and Duterte political machines – has disintegrated into open hostility. The rift deepened dramatically when the administration facilitated the International Criminal Court's arrest of Vice President Duterte's father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, in 2025.

Some opposition factions are now openly calling for Marcos Jr's removal from office – an outcome that would mirror his father's fate four decades ago.

Presidential spokesperson Claire Castro has defended the administration's record, insisting that Marcos Jr 'has not lost interest' in fighting corruption and is working to strengthen government institutions.

But for many observers, the president's troubles represent a cautionary tale about the resilience of political dynasties in Philippine politics. Despite the historic fall of the Marcos regime in 1986, the family gradually rebuilt its influence, eventually returning to the pinnacle of power.

'His plan was to be president. It was a self-serving plan. It is a presidency about Bongbong Marcos for Bongbong Marcos,' Masigan said. 'He just wanted the opportunity to whitewash the tainted Marcos name.'

As the Philippines commemorates the 40th anniversary of the People Power Revolution, the nation faces uncomfortable questions about how much has truly changed – and whether the hopes of those who risked everything for democracy in 1986 are being honoured or betrayed by the man who now bears his father's name.