OPINION
Ed Javier
When The Powerful Go Unpunished, Trust Disappears
FILE
Welcome to 2026.
A new year brings fresh hope, but also renewed questions. Will promises be kept and will those in power finally be held to account?
These questions are reflected in the numbers. A December 2025 Pulse Asia survey shows that 48 percent of Filipino adults now disapprove of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s performance up from 44 percent three months earlier.
Only 34 percent approve while 18 percent remain undecided. Nearly half of the public 47 percent say they do not trust the president compared to 32 percent who do.
Malacañang says President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains unfazed by the declining survey ratings.
The Palace explains that the drop is the price of doing the right thing investigating questionable flood control projects and pursuing corruption cases.
But this explanation no longer convinces many Filipinos.
To be fair the administration has taken action. Contractors linked to the projects have been charged and some funds have reportedly been returned.
These are concrete steps and deserve acknowledgment.
But the response has been limited.
So far accountability has largely stopped at contractors and lower ranking officials in the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Presidential allies senators, congressmen and past and present cabinet members despite being repeatedly mentioned in public discussions and reports have not faced comparable accountability.
This gap explains the growing frustration.
The public is no longer satisfied with returned money or ongoing investigations alone. What people are looking for is accountability that reaches the top.
Where are the high level officials? Where are the powerful figures whose names surfaced publicly but were never formally confronted?
Large scale corruption does not occur in isolation. Decisions are approved systems are maintained and benefits flow. When accountability stops with minor players justice feels incomplete.
The President earlier said that those responsible would be jailed before Christmas.
Christmas has passed. What the public has seen instead are filings of cases recovered funds and continuing investigations but no senior official behind bars.
That gap between promise and outcome now weighs heavily on the Marcos administration’s credibility.
Survey numbers are not falling because Filipinos oppose the fight against corruption. They are falling because enforcement appears selective.
People see activity but not consequences that match the scale of the problem. They understand that serious corruption typically involves power and influence not only contractors.
Palace messaging has further deepened the disconnect.
Official responses have often sounded defensive, dismissive, or detached from the daily struggles of ordinary Filipinos.
When legitimate concerns are met with technical explanations political framing or impatience rather than empathy the public feels unheard.
In times of crisis communication is not only about defending policy. It is about recognizing hardship. When that recognition is absent trust erodes quickly and the damage extends beyond any single controversy.
By emphasizing intent over outcomes the government appears to be protecting its image more than addressing failures.
Spokespersons who put protecting authority above acknowledging hardship do not reassure the public. They actively erode trust and magnify the administration’s credibility problem.
Blaming past administrations further weakens the message.
Whatever mistakes previous governments made they no longer justify present shortcomings.
Three and a half years already with time authority and public support firmly in hand. Leadership is now judged by results or the absence of them.
You cannot govern the present while continuing to fight yesterday’s battles.
If this pattern continues limited accountability paired with defensive messaging the likely result is deeper public distrust and further declines in support.
Trust once lost is difficult to regain.
The political implications are clear. A Vice President who remains popular decisive and untouched by controversy could enter 2028 with a significant advantage.
Governments fall not only because opponents are strong but because they fail to earn trust while they still have it.
As 2026 begins the question is no longer whether the Marcos administration wants to fight corruption. The question is whether it is prepared to finish the fight and whether its actions will finally match its words.
Governments do not fail only by doing nothing. They also fail by doing just enough to claim progress while leaving the powerful untouched and promises unfulfilled.
Until accountability reaches the highest levels one truth will continue to resonate with the public.
Ang dagat ay mananatiling marumi hangga’t ang malalaking isda ay malaya.
A new year brings fresh hope, but also renewed questions. Will promises be kept and will those in power finally be held to account?
These questions are reflected in the numbers. A December 2025 Pulse Asia survey shows that 48 percent of Filipino adults now disapprove of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s performance up from 44 percent three months earlier.
Only 34 percent approve while 18 percent remain undecided. Nearly half of the public 47 percent say they do not trust the president compared to 32 percent who do.
Malacañang says President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains unfazed by the declining survey ratings.
The Palace explains that the drop is the price of doing the right thing investigating questionable flood control projects and pursuing corruption cases.
But this explanation no longer convinces many Filipinos.
To be fair the administration has taken action. Contractors linked to the projects have been charged and some funds have reportedly been returned.
These are concrete steps and deserve acknowledgment.
But the response has been limited.
So far accountability has largely stopped at contractors and lower ranking officials in the Department of Public Works and Highways.
Presidential allies senators, congressmen and past and present cabinet members despite being repeatedly mentioned in public discussions and reports have not faced comparable accountability.
This gap explains the growing frustration.
The public is no longer satisfied with returned money or ongoing investigations alone. What people are looking for is accountability that reaches the top.
Where are the high level officials? Where are the powerful figures whose names surfaced publicly but were never formally confronted?
Large scale corruption does not occur in isolation. Decisions are approved systems are maintained and benefits flow. When accountability stops with minor players justice feels incomplete.
The President earlier said that those responsible would be jailed before Christmas.
Christmas has passed. What the public has seen instead are filings of cases recovered funds and continuing investigations but no senior official behind bars.
That gap between promise and outcome now weighs heavily on the Marcos administration’s credibility.
Survey numbers are not falling because Filipinos oppose the fight against corruption. They are falling because enforcement appears selective.
People see activity but not consequences that match the scale of the problem. They understand that serious corruption typically involves power and influence not only contractors.
Palace messaging has further deepened the disconnect.
Official responses have often sounded defensive, dismissive, or detached from the daily struggles of ordinary Filipinos.
When legitimate concerns are met with technical explanations political framing or impatience rather than empathy the public feels unheard.
In times of crisis communication is not only about defending policy. It is about recognizing hardship. When that recognition is absent trust erodes quickly and the damage extends beyond any single controversy.
By emphasizing intent over outcomes the government appears to be protecting its image more than addressing failures.
Spokespersons who put protecting authority above acknowledging hardship do not reassure the public. They actively erode trust and magnify the administration’s credibility problem.
Blaming past administrations further weakens the message.
Whatever mistakes previous governments made they no longer justify present shortcomings.
Three and a half years already with time authority and public support firmly in hand. Leadership is now judged by results or the absence of them.
You cannot govern the present while continuing to fight yesterday’s battles.
If this pattern continues limited accountability paired with defensive messaging the likely result is deeper public distrust and further declines in support.
Trust once lost is difficult to regain.
The political implications are clear. A Vice President who remains popular decisive and untouched by controversy could enter 2028 with a significant advantage.
Governments fall not only because opponents are strong but because they fail to earn trust while they still have it.
As 2026 begins the question is no longer whether the Marcos administration wants to fight corruption. The question is whether it is prepared to finish the fight and whether its actions will finally match its words.
Governments do not fail only by doing nothing. They also fail by doing just enough to claim progress while leaving the powerful untouched and promises unfulfilled.
Until accountability reaches the highest levels one truth will continue to resonate with the public.
Ang dagat ay mananatiling marumi hangga’t ang malalaking isda ay malaya.
Ed Javier
Ed Javier is a veteran communicator with over 35 years of experience in corporate, government, and advocacy communications, spanning the terms of seven Philippine presidents. He is also a political analyst, entrepreneur, and media professional. Drawing on this experience, he delivers clear, accessible analysis of political, governance, and business issues.
Dec 31, 2025
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