Bongbong Marcos began his presidency at noon on June 30, 2022, following his inauguration as the 17th president of the Philippines, succeeding Rodrigo Duterte. His term is expected to expire six years later, on June 30, 2028.
Marcos initially downsized government bureaucracy, especially in the executive branch of the government. His administration oversaw the post-pandemic return to normalcy with the gradual reopening of the economy, return of face-to-face/physical classes, removal of stringent travel restrictions, and the lifting of the mask-wearing mandate for outdoor and indoor settings. He also sought to address the rising inflation and shortage of the country's food supply during the beginning of his presidency.
As president, Marcos signed into law the creation of the Maharlika Investment Fund, the first sovereign wealth fund of the Philippines. Under his term, the Philippines ratified the RCEP in February, and entered into force in June 2023. Marcos also went on many foreign trips in hopes to attract more foreign investments in the country. During his term, many Filipinos said they felt unsafe on streets, and the country's drug problem has increased. By the first quarter of 2024, Marcos' performance and trust ratings had dropped significantly, marking an erosion of public trust in him and his administration.
Tensions in the South China Sea rose during his administration, with more clashes between the Philippine forces and the Chinese Navy and Coast Guard.
As the son of 10th president Ferdinand Marcos (who was in power from 1965 to 1986), Bongbong Marcos's presidential candidacy has been controversial, receiving criticism from several groups due to his father's regime—a period characterized by violence and oppression against those opposed to his regime, political turmoil, and widespread corruption. Some scholars have noted that his campaign was driven by a massive misinformation campaign aimed at revamping the Marcos brand and smearing his rivals; Marcos has stated he won't engage in negative and hateful campaigning and has repeatedly declined joining debates that may lead to such.
In less than two years as president, more Filipinos have become dissatisfied with the administration of Bongbong Marcos, according to the survey conducted by Publicus Asia from November 29 to December 4, 2023. Economic concerns, rising inflation, joblessness, low wages, and a perceived lack of productivity are some of the emerging factors behind the drop in pro-administration support. The survey also noted that the "Duterte effect" still persists, with opposition parties grappling with the discreditation of the previous administration. In 2024, Marcos banned Philippine offshore gaming operators that had proliferated under the previous administration, while Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from his cabinet amidst a growing rift in the Marcos and Duterte political families. The year 2025 was marked by the impeachment of vice president Sara Duterte in February 5 by the House of Representatives while former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested in March 11 and handed over to the International Criminal Court, leading to the collapse of the Marcos-Duterte alliance; while subsequently the arrest and hand-over of the latter was severely lambasted, as well as massively criticized and condemned by former Duterte administration officials and allies, and by the Duterte's supporters, which led to a massive protests in support and in solidarity of former president Rodrigo Duterte, and the uncovering of the massive infrastructure corruption scandal that Marcos initially publicized and denounced that have led to a series of massive demonstrations and large protests in condemnation of the ongoing massive corruption scandal.
Election, transition, and inauguration
Marcos ran for president on a campaign platform centered on national unity and continuity of the policies of Rodrigo Duterte, his predecessor. He won the 2022 elections, receiving 31,629,783 (58.77%) votes out of a total of 56,097,722, beating his closest rival, Liberal Party member and Vice President Leni Robredo by over 15 million votes.
Marcos became the first candidate in the history of the Fifth Republic to win by a majority, scoring nearly 59 percent of the vote. His 31,629,783 votes was not only the highest count ever recorded in a presidential election, but close to the sum total of the two previous records combined.
Marcos's presidential transition began on May 25, 2022, when the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed his candidacy as the winner of the 2022 Philippine presidential election held on May 9, 2022.
Marcos was inaugurated as the seventeenth president of the Philippines on June 30, 2022, at the National Museum of Fine Arts. He was sworn in by Alexander Gesmundo, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. The inaugural ceremony was notable for his meeting with outgoing president Rodrigo Duterte at the Malacañang Palace whose departure honors were also held at the complex, the military-civic parade, and his 25-minute speech that gives a view of what his presidency will look like.
Quirino Grandstand was the original venue for Marcos's inauguration. It was moved to the National Museum since the Manila COVID-19 Field Hospital still occupied the site at the time of the inauguration.
Major activities Speeches
Inaugural Address (June 30, 2022) First State of the Nation Address (July 25, 2022) Second State of the Nation Address (July 24, 2023) Third State of the Nation Address (July 22, 2024) Fourth State of the Nation Address (July 28, 2025) Fifth State of the Nation Address (July 27, 2026)
Major acts and legislation
Marcos has signed 249 bills into law, 60 of which are national in scope.
Executive issuances
Bongbong Marcos has signed a total of 97 executive orders, issued 1,041 proclamations, 37 administrative orders, 36 memorandum orders, 98 memorandum circulars, and two special orders.
National budget Title Principal Sponsor Date signed 11936 General Appropriations Act of 2023 Sonny Angara December 16, 2022 11975 General Appropriations Act of 2024 December 20, 2023 12116 General Appropriations Act of 2025 Grace Poe December 30, 2024 12314 General Appropriations Act of 2026 Sherwin Gatchalian January 5, 2026
Leadership style
Marcos's leadership style was described by his press secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles as being "more systematic and efficient", compared to his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte, who was driven by passion. Cruz-Angeles described Marcos as "conservative", and "very up to date" with technology and global issues.
Marcos, in contrast with his predecessor Duterte, is noted for consistently limiting his exposure to journalists and the media. During his presidential campaign, Marcos was criticized for eluding debates and media interviews. After assuming office, he signed his second executive order abolishing the presidential spokesperson position and replacing it with a press secretary. Under Marcos, the Malacañang Palace holds fewer press briefings than the Duterte administration, typically holding a single press briefing per week. The Marcos administration also created a "pool" system, in which the Presidential Communications Office limits the number of media members who could attend press briefings or cover certain events.
Marcos said he would sometimes consult his wife, Liza Araneta, who is a lawyer, regarding "legal matters", saying "I'm not a lawyer, so I need an expert opinion".
Administration and cabinet Marcos began naming his Cabinet members on May 12, 2022. Following his presidential inauguration, he administered a mass oath-taking of his Cabinet officials.
Marcos appointed his long time chief-of-staff and spokesperson, Vic Rodriguez as his Executive Secretary. Upon the recommendation of his Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Juan Ponce Enrile, Marcos rejected the plan of Rodriguez to grant himself additional powers as Marcos's new Presidential Chief of Staff following his resignation as Executive Secretary on September 17 due to issues involving his roles in the sugar importation order fiasco and contentious appointments of some government officials. He was replaced by former Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on September 27.
On October 4, 2022, Marcos reappointed 10 cabinet members after they were bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (COA) on September 28; COA chairperson Jose Calida and Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles resigned the same day.
On May 22, 2025, following the results of the midterm elections, Marcos called for the courtesy resignations of his cabinet members, agency heads, and presidential advisers, initiating the first major cabinet reshuffle since the Arroyo administration. Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin later announced that while the resignations of several officials—including the Secretaries of Foreign Affairs, Environment, and Housing—were accepted and replacements appointed, others in key economic and security posts were retained. In a second wave of changes, the Solicitor General and the Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education were replaced, while the Secretaries of Defense, Justice, and the Interior remained in their positions.
First 100 days The Marcos administration faced challenges during this period such as a domestic sugar supply shortage in mid-2022, rising inflation rate brought about by the pandemic, and the economic effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Immediately after taking his oath of office on June 30, 2022, Marcos, in an attempt to "achieve simplicity, economy, and efficiency in the bureaucracy", issued his first executive order abolishing both the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission created by President Duterte in 2017 and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary. The Marcos administration launched its COVID-19 booster shot campaign, PinasLakas, to administer booster doses to at least 23 million Filipinos during Marcos's first 100 days, but managed to boost only 3.5 million. Marcos issued an executive order allowing voluntary use of face masks in outdoor settings, and extended from September 13 to December 31, 2022, the period of the state of calamity declared by his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte, due to the COVID-19.
The Marcos administration launched its anti-illegal drug campaign, Buhay Ingatan, Droga'y Ayawan (BIDA), which commits to continue the war on drugs "within the framework of the law and with respect for human rights and with focus on rehabilitation and socio-economic development".
Domestic affairs
10-point agenda Marcos launched a 10-point agenda as part of his vision to further boost economic growth and rejuvenate the country's prosperity in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marcos's agenda includes the following: National Reopening- aimed to reopen the face to face classes in schools throughout the country, and revitalize the country's tourism sectors. Public-Private Partnership- aimed to further deepen the engagements of the public and private sectors to further boost investments. Infrastructure Development- expansion of the Build! Build! Build! program under the Build Better More program. Fiscal Discipline- aimed to efficiency in tax collection through digitization. Transparent & Efficient Governance- establish efficiency in government processes through online systems and combat red tape. Digital Philippines- implementation of the Broadband ng Masa (BBM) program set to improve the country's internet services. Energy Security- boost local power generation and capacity through renewable energy sources and proper distribution. Future-ready Filipinos- provide quality education through top notch learning materials and technology tools. Affordable Healthcare- lower cost of medicines, expand pandemic preparedness, and build regional specialty hospitals. Food for All- increase agricultural output and improve the supply chain.
Agriculture and agrarian reform