Experts warn against ‘empty promise’ of ‘Bagong Pilipinas’
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s “Bagong Pilipinas” (New Philippines) will remain an “empty promise” if he doesn’t adhere to the rule of law and implement new policies that would change the lives of Filipinos, according to analysts on Saturday.
“Bagong Pilipinas,” as contained under Memorandum Circular 24 series of 2023, is based on Executive Order 14 series of 2023 or the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, with an “overarching theme” of the administration’s brand of governance and leadership that call for “deep and fundamental transformations in all sectors of society and government.”
During a broadcast of the “BBC World Questions: Philippines” program organized by the British Broadcasting Corp.’s World Service Radio aired on Saturday, Akbayan Citizens Action Party President Rafaela David said it remained to be seen whether or not there would be a “New Philippines,” as she continued to see similar problems that the country had experienced during the past administration.
“There are still human rights violations, the economy is still recovering, and we are still seeing record-high numbers of inflation. This government needs to show us the new programs and the new policies that would change the lives of ordinary Filipinos,” David added.
For journalist and political analyst Richard Heydarian, “Bagong Pilipinas” is one way of saying that Marcos is becoming a “techno-populist” where he uses nostalgia to appeal to the base of his father, former president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.
“He tries to pretend to be some sort of a technocrat, but in reality, their old order is dying, and the new one is yet to be born,
so the current president is still trying to figure out what to come out with,” Heydarian said.
Heydarian added the new slogan was a “reflection of the struggle of the current administration to come up with a clear agenda” as opposed to his previous predecessors, the late Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino 3rd and Rodrigo Duterte.
He also said that Marcos’ call for “unity,” his campaign slogan in the 2022 elections, was an “empty” slogan and that the administration was still scrambling for a clear policy agenda.
Meanwhile, former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio said he did not know what “Bagong Pilipinas” really meant, eliciting laughter and cheers from the audience.
He also reminded the public about the late President Marcos’ previous message called “Bagong Lipunan” or “New Society,” which was floated during the Martial Law rule from 1972-1981.
“If this is the same as the ‘New Society,’ then we will be in for a terrible ride,” Carpio said.
Dean Roberto Galang of the Ateneo de Manila University John Gokongwei School of Management, on the other hand, said the government should have offered newer government programs, such as improving digital technology that could create a “superstar Filipino application” in the likes of Indonesia’s GoJek and Tokopedia.