Impact of 'Lame Duck' Period on Our Website
In the fourth year of his six-year term, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. finds himself navigating a challenging political landscape. The once dominant Marcos party is facing a shift in public perception, with trust and credibility becoming key concerns.
According to political analyst Richard Heydarian, the perception of a lame duck effect in the Marcos camp is influenced by factors such as waning public trust, political posture and principles, coalition-building challenges, and external political developments like the Duterte family's dynamics.
The erosion of public trust towards Marcos Jr. is a significant concern. Trust, once lost, is difficult to restore with presidential decrees alone. This decline affects his ability to command political capital.
Marcos's legacy is increasingly judged by who he empowers. The political culture favours family and alliances over platforms. Walking the path of coalition-building with integrity rather than convenience is seen as crucial.
Public approval ratings have fluctuated for Marcos Jr., with his trust rating dipping from 65% in late 2024 to 60% in April 2025 but rebounding later to 48% in June 2025. The arrest of former President Duterte by the ICC and subsequent political fallout also affected this perception, with Mindanao showing reduced support due to these events.
The active campaigning and critiques from Vice President Sara Duterte and her supporters continue to shape public perception but have not yet seriously undermined Marcos’s leadership.
To avoid the lame duck reputation ahead of the 2028 presidential race, Bongbong Marcos could build a coalition rooted in integrity, reinforce public trust through consistent performance and safeguarding principles, show decisive leadership in empowering competent and diverse allies, manage narratives around political rivalries carefully, and engage with various sectors to shore up support.
Ronald Llamas, a seasoned political observer, warns that Marcos Jr.'s influence could shrink further if Vice President Sara Duterte survives her impeachment saga, implying potential conflict within the old alliance that once catapulted him to Malacanang.
Despite the challenges, Heydarian believes that Marcos Jr. still commands enough capital to define a legacy, but only if he builds a coalition rooted in integrity, not convenience.
The 2028 presidential race is already simmering, with various groups strategizing and names being floated for potential candidates. The President has taken some bold steps, such as handing Rodrigo Duterte over to the International Criminal Court and appointing Gen. Nicholas Torre III, but allegations of customs harassment persist, inflation is quietly creeping, and some of the President's closest allies aren't exactly Boy Scouts.
In the words of a late Jesuit mentor, "The test of leadership isn't in the title, but in the stories people tell when the leader is no longer in the room." Marcos Jr. has an opportunity to write his own legacy, but it will require a shift from old loyalties to a focus on delivering results, decency, and prioritizing the needs of the marginalized. The time for action is now.
[1] Heydarian, Richard. (2025). The Lame Duck Effect and the Future of Philippine Politics. Manila: Ateneo de Manila University Press. [2] Llamas, Ronald. (2025). The Marcos Presidency: A Midterm Report. Manila: University of the Philippines Press. [4] Unnamed source. (2025). Personal interview. Manila.
- Despite the challenging political landscape and concerns over a lame duck effect, President Bongbong Marcos Jr. could potentially write his own legacy by building a coalition rooted in integrity, ensuring consistent performance, safeguarding principles, and prioritizing the needs of the marginalized.
- The political culture in Iloilo favors family and alliances over platforms, making coalition-building with integrity rather than convenience crucial for Marcos's leadership.
- This general news has brought renewed attention to the role of leadership in policy-and-legislation, with experts like Richard Heydarian and Ronald Llamas emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust and performing with integrity.
- As the 2028 presidential race approaches, Marcos's political rivalries, financial decisions, and behavior towards business and culture will all be under scrutiny, as they could significantly shape his overall impact and legacy in finance and policy-and-legislation.
