Prevailing Issues

Despite Aquino’s reforms, the country still faced instability, and continues to encounter similar administration issues as they did under Ferdinand Marcos.

“The ‘people power’ by which [Corazon] brought down Marcos is, however, a volatile, episodic, and changing phenomenon” (Central Intelligence Agency. Philippines: Challenges Facing the Aquino Government).

Instability In Aquino's Administration

“Beyond the economic blows dealt by Martial Law, the Aquino administration also had to contend with the worsening communist-led insurgency and the political infighting. Disagreements over how to handle the communist insurgency led to the resignation of Defense Minister Enrile” (Ateneo University).

“from 1986 to 1990, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines [including Corazon's former military allies during the Revolution] organized six plots to overthrow President Aquino...The worst of these plots was the day-and-a-half August 1978 coup attempt led by Col. Gringo Honasan, which left 53 dead and more than 200 wounded, many of whom were unarmed civilians” (Ateneo University).

A survey conducted on officers and non-commission officers after the 1989 coup by the Fact Finding Commission reported that “Seven out of ten of all respondents say their units are dissatisfied with the overall operation of government” (Fact Finding Commission).

Remaining Economic Challenges

Categorized data of damages caused by natural disasters between 1986 and 1992 in the Philippines ("Top 25 Natural Disasters in Philippines")

Large amounts of damage from natural disasters directed money away from rebuilding the economy and other reforms.

Recent Political Challenges

“A close ally of the Marcoses, [Rodrigo] Duterte has drawn upon Marcos’s script for authoritarian power [in the election]. He has arrested prominent opponents, curtailed civil liberties, and claimed that discipline is what is most needed for the Philippine nation” (Sanchez).

“President Rodrigo Duterte talks to Imee Marcos at a wedding ceremony in Manila, September, 2016” (Sanchez)

(Ferdinand Marcos Jr at his inauguration ceremony today, left, and Marcos Sr during his presidency in 1985)

“Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., the dictator’s son...ran for vice president in 2016 and finished a close second...and, to this day, continues his legal challenges to the election” (Sanchez). Marcos Jr. became president in 2022.

Trillion Peso March

Filipinos gathered at EDSA to charge current president, Marcos’s son, a figure of nepotism, for stealing tax money (Sarao).

“As of 10:45 a.m. on Sunday, September 21, 2025, Manila DRRMO estimates that around 49,000 people have gathered at Luneta Park for the anti-corruption ‘Baha sa Luneta’ rally” (Sarao).