THE STRUGGLE FOR

PROGRESS
AND
THE PHILIPPINE
GOVERNMENT
THE STRUGGLE FOR
PROGRESS
1986 PEACEFUL REVOLUTION
The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution gathered millions of Filipinos
from all walks of life to march along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA),
the main artery of Metro Manila, to end the dictatorship of President
Ferdinand E. Marcos and begin a new era marked by true freedom and
democracy. This spirit of the movement was not confined to Manila; it
manifested through non-violent demonstrations staged in different cities
nationwide—it was a revolution marked by its peaceful means, led by a
nation united to reclaim liberty.
The events of February 25, 1986, altered the course of our nation’s
history; it showcased to the world the remarkable resolve of the
Filipino people. It heralded an era of peace. Over the years, we have
continued to remember this momentous occasion by honoring the
sacrifices of all those who fought the dictatorship.
By virtue of Proclamation No. 1071, s. 2015, February 25, 2016, is a
special (non-working) holiday throughout the country in celebration
of the 30th Anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power
Revolution—the movement that “restored our democratic institution
and ushered in political, social and economic reforms in the country.”
THE ADMINISTRATION
OF PRESIDENT AQUINO
AND PRESIDENT RAMOS
Corazon Aquino was the 11th president (and first female president) of the Philippines. She restored democracy after
the long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.
POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

• 1987 Constitution
-approved and enacted in February 1987
-crippled presidential power to declare martial law
-proposed the creation of autonomous regions in the Cordilleras and Muslim Mindanao
-restoration of the presidential form of government and the bicameral Congress.
-contain articles which include the rights of the people
-created to replace the 1973 Constitution
• Restoration of democratic institutions
• Freedom Constitution (Proclamation no.3)
-provided for the carry-over of some of the provisions of the 1973 constitution not contrary to the ideals of
democracy
-provided the abolition of Batasang Pambansa and the reorganization of the government
-gave the president the right to issue executive orders which would serve as laws while there was no congress
• National Reconciliation
-To maintain peace and order in the country, President Aquino announced a policy of national reconciliation
asking for the cooperation of the Filipinos especially the rebel groups.

• ARMM(Autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao)

- Mindanao was a very independent part of the Philippines who refused to be a part of the Philippines. To solve
this problem, President Cory gave them a freedom to be singled out from the country and declared it as ARMM.

• PCGR (Presidential Commission on Government Reorganization)

- Its main function was to streamline bureaucracy. In the process, some government offices were faced out,
displacing a number of government employees.
ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS:

• The Aquino government believed that a large portion of the nation’s wealth was taken by
the Marcos and so the PCGG(Presidential Commission on Good Government) was
created.
• CARL (Comprehensive Agrarian Reform law)
- signed by President Aquino which implemented the Comprehensive Agrarian
Reform Program (CARP)
-Made an agrarian reform through this
-The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) was a land
reform law signed by President Corazon Aquino on June 10, 1988
-CARP aims “for a more equitable distribution and ownership of
land.” It meant to distribute lands to farmers in a span of 10 years,
but was extended by the 11th Congress due to delays in land
distribution and lack of budget allocation.
-Agrarian reform-is very significant for the economy of any country
because more than half of the population is employed in the
agricultural sector. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood
especially for the developing countries. Reforms are important
because they protect the rights of the farmers .
 SOCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
DSWD (Department of Social-Welfare and Development) -Formerly called DSSD/MSSD
Objectives are:
1) protection and rehabilitation of the mentally and physically disabled
2) provide complete services for the needy
3) improve inhuman conditions
Generics law
-The Generics Law of 1988 was hailed as a landmark law that could benefit the public but it has failed
miserably, due to:
1.) weak support from doctors
2.)strong lobbying by multinational drug companies
3.)and the health department’s incompetence
POLITICAL ACHIEVEMENTS

• Energy Crisis
-During the term of Ramos, he requested the congress to enact a law that would
plan and manage the Philippines’ energy demands.
• NIPAS -National Integrated Protected Areas System.
-This was implemented to sustain the environment and to protect or conserve
the country’s natural resources.
• Local Government Code
-He passed this act to provide a more responsive and accountable local
government structure
ECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS

• Foreign Investments from Travel

-Ramos was known as the most traveled Philippine president in recent
history. -He generated about $20B worth of foreign investments to the
Philippines.
• Asian Tiger Cub Economy
-The countries part of this focused on developing goods for export to
highly industrialized nations.
-Many foreign investors poured money into the country.
 SOCIAL ACHIEVEMENTS
• Philippine Centennial
-On June 12, 1998, the nation celebrated its centennial year of Independence from Spain.
-One of the major projects of the commission was the Expo Pilipino, a grand showcase of
the Philippines' growth as a nation for the last 100 years.
• Clean and Green Campaign
-The program aims to sustain cleanliness, beautification, and sanitation in the city. He
approved the adoption of the Integrated National Waste Management System Framework.
• Peace Agreements with MNLF
-Ramos was able to secure major peace agreements with Muslim separatists, communist
insurgents and military rebels,
 Joseph Estrada

original name Joseph

Ejercito, (born April 19,
1937, Manila, Philippines),
Filipino actor and
politician who served as
president of the
Philippines (1998–2001)
• In 1998 Estrada ran for president, though his candidacy faced significant opposition.
Ramos, who was constitutionally barred from running for a second term, endorsed
House Speaker José de Venecia, and many of the country’s powerful businessmen
opposed Estrada’s populist proposals. The Roman Catholic Church denied Estrada its
support because he had admitted to having fathered four children by women other
than his wife. However, he did have the support of Imelda Marcos, the widow of
former president Ferdinand Marcos and then a member of Congress, and he enjoyed a
devoted following among the country’s poor. Estrada managed to capture nearly 40
percent of the vote, handily defeating his nearest rival, de Venecia, who garnered only
15.9 percent. The margin of victory was the largest in a free election in the history of
the Philippines, and Estrada was officially declared president by Congress on May 29,
1998.
Estrada’s tenure as president was short-lived, however, as a corruption scandal erupted in
October 2000 when a fellow politician claimed that Estrada had accepted millions of dollars
worth of bribes. In November the Philippine Senate began an impeachment trial, but it was
abandoned after some senators blocked the admission of evidence. On January 20, 2001,
Estrada was ousted amid mass protests, and his vice president, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo,
ascended to the presidency. Later that year Estrada was brought to trial on charges of
plunder (large-scale corruption) and accused of having procured more than $80 million
through bribes and corrupt dealings. Estrada denied the accusations, calling them politically
motivated, and he remained relatively popular in the Philippines despite the charges. In
September 2007 he was convicted of plundering and sentenced to a maximum of 40 years in
prison. The following month, however, Estrada was pardoned by Arroyo. In October 2009 he
announced his candidacy for president, but he was defeated in the May 2010 elections by
Benigno S.Aquino III (son of Benigno Aquino, Jr., and Corazon Aquino).
PRIMARY PROBLEMS OF ESTRADA GOVERNMENT

1. Graft and Corruption

2. Asian Financial Crisis
3. El Nino
4. Poverty
LAWS AND PROGRAMS
1. Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (Republic Act No. 8749)
2. Retail Trade Liberalization Act (Republic Act No. 8762)
3. New General Banking Act (Republic Act No. 8791)
4. Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 8792)
5. New Securities Act (Republic Act No. 8799)
6. Agrarian Reform
7. Anti-Crime Task Force
8. Death Penalty
9. Charter Change
10. RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement
ISSUES AND CONTROVERSIES

1. War between MILF

2. Plunder
3. Perjury
4. Best World Resources
5. Impeachment Trial
MARIA GLORIA MACARAEG MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

• born April 5, 1947

• 4th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010
• 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001
• She was the country's second female president (after Corazón Aquino)

• Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assumed the presidency at noon on January 20, 2001, following the EDSA II
Revolution which ousted the democratically-elected President Estrada. Arroyo assumed office the same
day as US President George W. Bush.
FIRST TERM (2001-2004)

The state of rebellion declared is a government declaration

that suspends a number of civil rights for a short period of
time. It is a form of martial law that allows a government
to suppress protest, detain and arrest people, search
private property, read private mail, and listen to phone
conversations using wiretaps - all without legal warrants.
2001 MIDTERM ELECTIONS

The 2001 legislative elections and local elections were held in the
Philippines on May 14, 2001 - four months after Arroyo took office.
Independent senatorial candidate Noli de Castro, a former television anchor
of TV Patrol of ABS-CBN was announced as the topnotcher. This is the first
synchronized national and local elections held after the ouster of Former
President Joseph Estrada in January due to a military- backed civilian
uprising (popularly known as EDSA II).
OAKWOOD MUTINY

The Oakwood mutiny occurred in the Philippines on July 27, 2003.

A group of 321 armed soldiers who called themselves "Bagong
Katipuneros" led by Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala and Lt. Antonio
Trillanes IV of the Philippine Navy took over the Oakwood
Premier Ayala Center (now Ascott Makati) serviced apartment
tower in Makati City to show the Filipino people the alleged
corruption of the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration. They
also stated that they saw signs suggesting that the President was
going to declare martial law.
2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
In December 2002, Arroyo made the surprise announcement that she would not seek
a new term in the Philippine general election, 2004.Ten months later, however, she
reversed her position and declared her intention to seek a direct mandate from the
people, saying "there is a higher cause to change society... in a way that nourishes our
future".
Arroyo faced a tough election campaign in early 2004 against Estrada friend and
popular actor Fernando Poe, Jr., senator and former police general Panfilo Lacson,
former senator Raul Roco, and Christian evangelist Eddie Villanueva. Her campaign
platform centered on a shift to a parliamentary and federal form of government, job
creation, universal health insurance, anti-illegal drugs, and anti-terrorism.
SECOND TERM (2004-2010)
• June 30, 2004- Arroyo took her oath of office
• She chose to first deliver her inaugural address at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila before departing to Cebu
City for her oath taking
• February 24, 2006- The declaration of Proclamation No. 1017
• Through the Department of Education, the President suspended classes in elementary and high school levels. In
response, colleges and universities suspended classes. By virtue of PP 1017, she declared a State of Emergency
for the whole country in an attempt to quell rebellion. The governments first move after the declaration was to
disperse demonstrators, particularly the groups picketing along EDSA. Former Philippine president Corazon
Aquino was among those that protested, along with leftist and extreme right activists. A number of public
figures were reported to have been arrested.
• May 14, 2007- Legislative and local elections in the Philippines
• Positions contested included half the seats in the Senate, which are elected for six-year terms, and all the seats
in the House of Representatives, who were elected for three-year terms. The duly elected legislators of the
2007 elections joined the elected senators of the 2004 elections to comprise the 14th Congress of the
Philippines.
 NOVEMBER 29, 2007- THE PENINSULA MANILA REBELLION
• Detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, General Lim and other Magdalo (mutineers) officials walked out of their trial and
marched through the streets of Makati City, called for the ouster of President Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo, and seized the
second floor of The Peninsula Manila Hotel along Ayala Avenue. Former Vice-President Teofisto Guingona also joined the
march to the hotel.
• October 13, 2008- the 4th 97-page impeachment complaint against President Arroyo was filed at the House of
Representatives of the Philippines with the required endorsements by Party list Representatives Satur Ocampo, Teodoro
Casiño and Liza Maza
• October 25, 2007- Arroyo granted a pardon to Joseph Estrada in the wake of the massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan
town, President Arroyo placed Maguindanao under a state of martial law, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced
on the morning of December 5, 2009. Malacañang has suspended the writ of habeas corpus in the province except "for
certain areas," enabling the military to make arrests without court intervention. This constitutes the first declaration of
martial law in the Philippines since 1972, when then-president Ferdinand Marcos imposed military rule over the entire
country

• November 30, 2009- President Arroyo announced on the Philippine Broadcasting Service her congressional bid for the
second district of Pampanga
CHARTER CHANGE

• In 2005, Arroyo initiated a movement for an overhaul of the

constitution to transform the present presidential-bicameral
republic into a federal parliamentary-unicameral form of
government. At her 2005 State of the Nation Address, she
claimed "The system clearly needs fundamental change and the
sooner the better. Its time to start the great debate on Charter
Change".
• In late 2006, the House of Representatives shelved a plan to
revise the constitution through constituent assembly.
Executive Order No. 464 and calibrated preemptive
response In late September 2005, Arroyo issued an executive
order stating that demonstrations without permits would be pre-
emptively stopped. Then members of the military testified in
Congressional hearings that they were defying a direct order not
to testify about their knowledge of the election scandal. There is
the issuance of Executive Order No. 464 forbidding government
officials under the executive department from appearing in
congressional inquiries without President Arroyos prior consent.
These measures were challenged before the Supreme Court,
which apparently declared some sections as unconstitutional.
 HUMAN RIGHTS
• A May 2006 Amnesty International report expressed concern over the sharp rise in vigilante killings of
militant activists and community workers in the Philippines. Task Force Usig, a special police unit
tasked to probe reported extra-judicial killings, by state run death squads counts 115 murders and
says most of these are the result of an internal purge by communist rebels. Human rights groups put
the number as high as 830.
• General Palparan who retired September 11, 2006 has been appointed by President Arroyo to be part
of the Security Council. This has alarmed left-leaning political parties about the potential for human
rights violations.
• An independent commission was assembled in August 2006 to investigate the killings. Headed by
former Supreme Court Justice Jose Melo, the group known as the Melo Commission concluded that
most of the killings were instigated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, but found no proof linking
the murder of activists to a "national policy" as claimed by the left-wing groups.
AMNESTY PROCLAMATION
• On September 5, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Amnesty Proclamation
1377 for members of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the
New Peoples Army; other communist rebel groups; and their umbrella organization, the
National Democratic Front. The amnesty will cover the crime of rebellion and all other
crimes "in pursuit of political beliefs," but not including crimes against chastity, rape,
torture, kidnapping for ransom, use and trafficking of illegal drugs and other crimes for
personal ends and violations of international law or convention and protocols "even if
alleged to have been committed in pursuit of political beliefs." The National Committee
on Social Integration (NCSI) will issue a Certificate of Amnesty to qualified applicants.
Implementing rules and regulations are being drafted and the decree will be submitted to
the Senate of the Philippines and the House of Representatives for their concurrence.
The proclamation becomes effective only after Congress has concurred.
ISSUES DURING ARROYO’S ADMINISTRATION

• Fertilizer Fund Scam

• Hello Garci Controversy
• National Broadband Network Scandal
• Controversial Dinner party and Ondoy
• Northrail Controversy
END OF PRESIDENCY

In November 2009, Arroyo formally declared her intention to run for a seat in the House
of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga, making her the second
Philippine President - after Jose P. Laurel - to pursue a lower office after the expiration of
their presidency.

Arroyo was arrested on 18 November 2011 after a Pasay court issued a warrant of arrest
against her.
Protesters clash with policemen as they barricade the vehicle transporting ex-Philippine
President Gloria Arroyo after she was released from hospital arrest at a government
hospital in Manila on July 25, 2012. Arroyo walked free from eight months in detention on
July 25 after a court issued a surprise ruling granting her bail, saying a vote rigging case
against her was weak.

Former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo looks at her supporters as she arrives
at her village in suburban Quezon City, north of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday July 25,
2012. Arroyo on Wednesday walked out of a government hospital where she has been
detained for nearly eight months on charges of election sabotage after a court found that
evidence against her was weak and granted bail.
PRESIDENT : RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
Rodrigo Duterte, also
called Digong, (born
March 28, 1945, Maasin,
Philippines), Filipino
politician who was
elected president of the
Philippines in 2016.
THE DUTERTE PRESIDENCY

On June 30, 2016, Duterte was inaugurated as president of the Philippines.

In his first six months in office, more than 6,000 people were killed in
Duterte’s “war on drugs.” A fraction of those deaths occurred during police
operations. The overwhelming majority were extrajudicial killings by death
squads. Metro Manila’s funeral parlours were strained beyond capacity, and
hundreds of unidentified or unclaimed bodies were interred in mass burials.
Human rights organizations and Roman Catholic officials spoke out against
the bloodshed, but Duterte responded by accusing the church of
corruption and the sexual abuse of children.
When Western governments expressed concern over the rampant vigilantism,
Duterte said that the West could offer the Philippines only “double talk,” and he
sought to strengthen ties with Russia and China. The United States had
suspended the sale of 26,000 assault rifles to the Philippines as a result of the
human rights abuses, and in May 2017 Duterte met with Russian Pres. Vladimir
Putin to discuss the prospect of an arms deal. While Duterte was in Moscow, a
series of deadly clashes erupted in Marawi between Filipino troops and Islamist
fighters linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL; also called ISIS).
Duterte cut short his trip and declared a state of martial law covering the entire
island of Mindanao. Although government forces retook Marawi and quashed the
rebellion, the declaration was renewed through the end of 2019, making it the
longest period of martial law in the Philippines since the Marcos era.
In February 2018 the International Criminal Court (ICC) opened a
preliminary investigation into the more than 12,000 deaths that had
occurred during Duterte’s “war on drugs.” The following month Duterte
responded by announcing his intention to withdraw the Philippines from the
ICC; that withdrawal became official in March 2019. International and
domestic human rights organizations continued to remain sharply critical of
Duterte, but he dismissed them, going so far as to instruct police to shoot
activists if they were “obstructing justice.” Press freedoms were also
curtailed, and Maria Ressa, the cofounder of a news Web site that had
documented the worst excesses of Duterte’s antidrug campaign, was
arrested numerous times on questionable charges.
Duterte remained widely popular with the Filipino public, however, and
voters in May 2019 delivered a resounding endorsement of the president’s
agenda by backing a slate of pro-Duterte candidates. Duterte maintained
his hold on the House of Representatives, and, by taking control of the
Senate, he removed what was the only effective check remaining on his
administration.
The year 2019 marks the halfway point of President Rodrigo Duterte’s six-year term
in office, following his inauguration in June 2016. The Philippines’ GDP has increased
by more than 6% per year since 2012, making inclusive growth and the reduction of
income inequality top priorities for the current administration.

The successful implementation of public infrastructure upgrades under the Build,

Build, Build programme is also an essential part of spurring sustainable growth,
alongside efforts to reduce red tape and improve access to credit for individuals and
small businesses. Although the government has taken steps to stimulate inclusive
growth and rural development, poverty rates remain high in spite of recent
economic expansion.
CURRENT EVENTS
One of the most notable changes in policy under the Duterte administration involves the cultivation of
stronger ties with China, which has been met with some political and grassroots opposition. However,
President Duterte’s most visible campaign has focused on the eradication of crime and illegal substance
use. While these efforts have resulted in mass surrenders to the police, the campaign has faced criticism
from both local and global organizations due to concerns over human rights violations. The government
nevertheless maintains a high approval rating and popularity. This was tested in the May 2019 mid-term
elections, when nine out of 12 contested seats were won by pro-Duterte candidates.

Moving forward, the administration will face a number of challenges as it seeks to deliver on campaign
promises, which include achieving peace and rule of law in Mindanao, eliminating corruption in the
government and accelerating infrastructure development.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS
President Duterte has actively sought warmer ties with China while criticising the
policies of the nation’s long-time ally, the US, although this stance has somewhat softened
since President Donald Trump took office in 2017. In July 2016 the Permanent Court of
Arbitration at The Hague ruled in favour of the Philippines in a three-year dispute over
territory in the South China Sea by declaring that China had no legal basis to claim
historic rights to resources falling within the “nine-dash line”. Although the Chinese
government has failed to recognise the decision, economic cooperation between the two
countries has expanded as President Duterte has not pushed for the enforcement of the
ruling. However, this relationship remains vulnerable to China’s territorial ambitions and
tensions with the US over the South China Sea and trade issues.
PHILIPPINES ECONOMY
FEDERALISM
One of the most notable proposed reforms is a transition to a federal government
structure. Under this system, the Philippines would be divided into 18 regions, each
operating under its own economic jurisdiction with the authority to determine tax
incentives. Concerns have been raised that the country’s lower-income areas would not be
economically or logistically prepared for the autonomy of federalism. However, President
Duterte has asserted that, by lessening the influence of politicians in Manila, the neglected
regions would be able to assume control of their resources and create tailored economic
development models that are more effective.
The National Economic and Development Authority estimated that adopting federalism
could incur additional costs of between P156.6bn ($2.9bn) and P243.5bn ($4.5bn) in the first
year. With the move already facing opposition, it may be challenging for the president to
enact this reform before his term ends.
TAXES
The second part of President Duterte’s comprehensive tax reform programme, the Tax Reform for
Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities ( TRABAHO) bill, stalled in Congress prior to the
mid-terms. Elevated inflation – which reached 6.7% in October 2018 – and the potential repercussions
of TRABAHO’s directive to rationalise fiscal incentives in special economic zones (SEZs) were significant
sticking points in efforts to gain approval. However, a strengthened Senate and cooling inflation, which
fell to 3.2% in May 2019, bode well for the likelihood of TRABAHO being signed into law in the second
half of 2019.

Critics of the bill argue that limiting tax holidays for corporations will eliminate a major incentive for
businesses to invest in the Philippines. In order to offset these potentially negative effects, TRABAHO
proposes to gradually lower corporate income tax (CIT) from 30% in 2019 to 20% by 2030. Given that
the current incentive scheme exclusively benefits enterprises within SEZs, lowering CIT would provide
welcome relief for businesses outside these zones.
Nevertheless, there are some concerns that the uncertainty surrounding
TRABAHO could deter investors. Figures from the central bank, Bangko
Sentral ng Pilipinas, showed that overall foreign direct investment inflows
decreased by 15.1% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2019, from $2.3bn
to $1.9bn, which was largely attributed to declining equity placements.
However, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, total foreign
investments approved by the Department of Trade and Industry reached
P46bn ($855.6m) that quarter, more than triple the P14.2bn ($264.1m)
posted in the same period of 2018.
INFRASTRUCTURE & AGRICULTURE

The government plans to invest $170bn in its flagship Build, Build, Build modernisation
programme. Changes to the tax framework are central to these efforts, and up to 70% of
revenue generated by the reforms has been earmarked for investment in infrastructure.
Funding is also being sourced through development assistance, with the administration
favouring this option over public-private partnerships. Infrastructure disbursements were
equivalent to 5.1% of GDP in 2018, and the government has forecast that the figure will rise
to 7% by 2022. By investing in logistics and transport, President Duterte hopes to drive
down production costs, increase rural incomes and reduce the price of basic items such as
food, which was a significant cause of inflation in 2018.