Unpacking Duterte’s mixed legacy on economic reforms

Abstract

The Duterte administration (2016–2022) rode into office on the back of the previous governments’ economic reform momentum that, in 2013, eventually culminated in the country’s first ever investment grade rating since the 1986 EDSA revolution. This paper reviews the data and evidence on the economic performance, efforts to institutionalize development, and the backdrop of economic governance that make up the Duterte administration’s economic reform legacy. The Duterte administration’s economic strategy was largely underpinned by the expansion of a public infrastructure program and funded by additional public revenues from a tax reform program intended to further accelerate the country’s growth path. Notwithstanding several key laws, several reforms were widely criticized for falling short in addressing key inequity, governance, and policy implementation issues in the country. The weakening of the rule of law under the Duterte administration also presents an ironic backdrop from which to appreciate his administration’s legislative and institutional reforms. Also, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep weaknesses in the Philippines’ economic model. While some structural challenges preceded the Duterte administration, its pandemic handling was nevertheless criticized as exacerbating the pandemic’s social and economic costs. Taken as a whole, the Duterte administration leaves behind a very mixed economic reform legacy.

Keywords:

• Duterte administration
• build-build-build
• TRAIN law
• economic reform

Disclosure statement

The authors declare there is no Complete of Interest at this study.

Notes

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Additional information

Notes on contributors

Philip Arnold P. Tuano

Dr. Tuaño is currently the Dean of the Ateneo School of Government. He has served as a Professor in the Ateneo de Manila University for over 30 years and has previously been the Director III of the Macropolicy Unit of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. He may be reached through his email [email protected].

Ronald U. Mendoza

Ronald U. Mendoza, PhD is a governance and institutional reforms specialist with over 25 years of experience in development policy and public administration reforms. He is presently a Senior Economist with the Ateneo Policy Center and a Member of the United Nations Committee of the Experts on Public Administration (UN CEPA). He may be reached at his email [email protected].

Kier Jesse Ballar

Mr. Ballar is currently a research associate and statistician at the Ateneo Policy Center of the Ateneo School of Government. His research interests include computation statistics, survey statistics, and misinformation. He may be contacted through his email at [email protected].

Gabrielle Mendoza

Ms. Mendoza is currently a research associate at the Ateneo Policy Center of the Ateneo School of Government. Her research interests include legitimacy, public opinion, political elites, and democratization. She may be contacted through her email [email protected].