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BBM was at a hospital overnight for an ailment that he claims is under control. But he has cut back on his official functions, delegating some public appearances to Executive Secretary Ralph Recto.

The President isn’t the only one sick. The economy is too.

For those of us who can remember, the slowdown we are experiencing now is reminiscent of the early 80s when we were known then as the “sick man of Asia.”

At least we are not bankrupt now as we were with the first Marcos in the early 80s. But our low growth rate will make us unattractive to investors. The latest GDP data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is showing our economy’s vital signs are not too good.

The disease is corruption. It was corruption that dragged our economy down. That’s what BBM must focus on.

BBM has directed his economic team to implement “true reform” to strengthen the country’s economy. He supposedly ordered his economic managers to focus on strategies to stimulate economic growth such as digitalization and fast-tracking of infrastructure projects.

That’s well and good as press releases go. He doesn’t have to give those instructions if his economic managers are competent. Also, neither digitalization nor infrastructure projects can produce results fast enough to boost the morale of Filipinos now when we need it most. People want him to address corruption first.

Actually, decisive moves on getting accountability on the corruption scandal (jailing the “big fish”) and fast-tracking infrastructure projects must happen at the same time.

Government consumption fell significantly from 18.7 percent in the start of the year (Q1 2025) and 9.0 percent in Q4 2024 to 3.7 percent in Q4 2025. That reflects the fear of bureaucrats to spend and the imposition of stricter measures on infrastructure projects toward the end of the year.

Outside of the pandemic, Q4 2025 is the slowest growth since Q3 2011 (both at three percent), when Noynoy Aquino suspended several infrastructure projects over corruption concerns linked to the previous administration, leading to a 31.8 percent decline in government construction spending.

Former congressman Joey Salceda explains what happened:

“The flood control scandal froze public spending. DPWH became an investigation site instead of an infrastructure engine. Bank lending to construction, which grew 12.5 percent between 2023-2024, flatlined at just 0.5 percent in 2025. We are unmistakably in a fiscally contractionary regime.”

The disease got worse. Investments fell 10.9 percent, while household consumption slowed 3.8 percent, its weakest since the pandemic.

“Admittedly, the flood control corruption scandal also weighed on business and consumer confidence,” Sec Arsenio Balisacan said.

This is somewhat embarrassing for us this year, as chair of ASEAN. Our neighbors are showing strong economic growth often outpacing global averages as the region emerges as a key global manufacturing and investment hub. We were left behind.

BBM is running out of time. Not only does he have only two years left in his term, he is also facing two impeachment charges.

Unfortunately, his administration is still engaged in feeble crisis management. What is needed to get confidence back is instituting promised reforms, pronto.

BBM and the Ombudsman promised to jail high level politicians, so-called “big fish,” by Christmas. It didn’t happen. While trying to make cases air-tight prior to filing is important, people are itching to see something moving.

Even a less than air-tight case of plunder that’s non-bailable filed against politicians, bureaucrats and contractors that sends these people to jail indefinitely may be good enough to help regain some confidence for now.

There must be no sacred cows, not his cousin, not his son, not his political allies. Regaining confidence is the most important objective BBM must have now. Otherwise, his public trust ratings will fall further in negative territory, making his ouster by an eager Sara easier.

This is a political life and death matter for BBM. The Vice President with a significant following is angling to move into Malacanang using FPGMA’s strategy in ousting Erap.

Salceda explains why missing our six percent GDP target matters:

“Missing six percent growth means 230,000 - 350,000 Filipinos stay trapped in poverty each year. Growth is a moral responsibility. The surgery must succeed — but we cannot let the patient bleed out on the table.”

There is a published report that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has hired global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller Ltd. to help promote the Philippines’ economic story abroad.

The PR firm is tasked with helping position the Philippines more aggressively in the regional race for investor attention, as Southeast Asian economies compete to attract capital and build credibility on the global stage.

This is a useless exercise and a waste of money. I am saying this based on my decades of experience working from all sides of the communications game: from the perspective of a PR agency, a client and from the media.

The only way to polish our image abroad is to clean up our act. Send the crooks to jail, whoever they may be. PR is not public relations. It is performance reporting. Nothing much could be expected from the PR agency by way of deliverables unless BBM acts on public expectations.

BBM should learn from Vince Dizon. Vince has caught the public’s imagination because he is seen as an action man. He is the energizer bunny personified. Of course, it helps that Vince has few, if any, political debts to pay.

BBM’s hospital visit should remind him that people our age have less time left in this world than we might think. That thought should spur him to move faster to ensure his legacy.

The point simply is, time is running out for BBM. And based on our economy’s vital signs, our country may not have that much time left too. Becoming a failed state is becoming more and more of a real threat without decisive leadership.

Boo Chanco’s email address is [email protected]. Follow him on X @boochanco