
Philippines

The Philippines is a backsliding presidential democracy, which has performed at mid-level across most GSoDI attributes and sub-attributes over the last five years. Notably, there was a sharp decline in performance in the Civil Liberties sub-component from 2017 to 2018, after which a moderate decline has been observed. Impartial Administration has consistently performed at the lower-end of mid-range performance, which may be attributed to the level of corruption in the country. There has also been a moderate decline in Checks on Government in the last 5 years. This dynamic economy is rooted in strong domestic consumption and remittances, with a growing services sector, including tourism and the finance and insurance industries, with Business Process Outsourcing contributing significantly to the economy.
The Philippines has had a long history of revolutions against repressive colonial (Spanish, American and Japanese) and postcolonial governments. Since achieving de facto independence in 1946, the Philippines has been characterized by repressive and corrupt political dynasties, widely divided socioeconomic classes, and ethno-religious and ideological fault lines, resulting in decades of armed struggles, and conflicts at the local level.
President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., first elected in 1965, declared martial law and imposed a military-backed dictatorship for over a decade, until he was deposed by the mass popular protests in 1986 known as the People Power revolution, a peaceful revolt that has influenced a number of other popular uprisings against dictatorships in Asia and beyond. Since then, democratization has proceeded forwards, but in fits and starts. Political power remained with the elites and there has been a stream of repressive and corrupt political dynasties, rooted in colonial times, and a popular wave of anger toward the ruling elites for failure to implement socioeconomic and political reforms. Under this pretext, Rodrigo Duterte, elected as President in 2016, failed to stem corruption and created a culture of impunity through his ‘war on drugs’. The entrenchment of political dynasties is illustrated by the election of Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., the only son of Marcos Sr. in May 2022, and Sara Duterte, Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter being elected as Vice President. Throughout its history, the Catholic Church has been a socio-political force, particularly during the People Power revolution, and a key player in debates on public policy, despite formal separation of church and state in the constitution.
The ethno-religious and ideological fault lines are based on two conflicts. In Mindanao, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front launched an armed struggle for an independent region in 1969. This culminated in an agreement to establish a self-governing autonomous region in the Muslim-dominated areas of Mindanao, the ‘Bangsamoro’, by law in 2019. The second, which is the longest running communist insurgency in Asia, pits the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, against the national government.
In the next five to ten years, further declines in the Civil Liberties component and the Impartial Administration and Checks on Government attributes may be expected. Checks on Government will continue to be impacted by political dynasty dynamics and impediments to free media due to the increased influence the state has on driving narratives and the spread of disinformation on social media. If future regimes continue to perpetuate the practices of their predecessors, the protection of civil liberties will continue to decline, with limited accountability for past violations. The level of Impartial Administration will depend on political commitment towards combatting corruption in a political economy that has been ridden with corrupt leaders and public officials. Opportunities for improvement will depend on the level of transparency and access to information and education on the legacy of political dynasties for younger generations of Filipinos, which will inevitably lead to a more robust democracy.
Monthly Updates
November 2022
The Philippines Congress passed a law on 29 November that aims to strengthen anti-discrimination provisions under the Labour Code to safeguard women employees. The law strengthens existing provisions with jail terms and hefty fines for violators, stating that it is unlawful for any employer to favour a male employee over a female employee in terms of employment benefits. The law also prevents the discharge of women on account of pregnancy. Ultimately, the measure establishes greater responsibility and accountability for private employment agencies.
October 2022
A ruling on 21 September dismissed a Department of Justice petition filed by the government in 2018 seeking to declare the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing to be "terrorist" groups. While considered a win by government critics and activists, analysts note that the government can still seek to declare groups as terrorists under the controversial Anti-Terror Act, adopted in 2020. The Regional Trial Court also raised concerns about the adverse impacts of "red tagging" on the right to freedom of expression - a common practice that senior officials have employed to label critics, activists and journalists as terrorists or insurgents, thereby exposing them to arrests or violent attacks.
September 2022
Drug-related killings continue to occur regularly under President Bongbong Marcos, says Human Rights Watch in a policy brief to UN member states. According to the monitoring of Dahas, a program affiliated with the University of the Philippines, 72 drug-related killings have been reported since Marcos took office on 30 June. Marcos has pledged to continue the Duterte administration's "war on drugs" campaign, albeit with a less punitive approach. Yet, the reported killings reflect a different reality on the ground regarding security forces. Marcos also stated in September that he will not support the International Criminal Court’s probe into former president Duterte's drug war.