Business group urges Marcos administration to prioritize economic execution over politics

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos want the Marcos administration to move beyond politics, an influential business group said, calling for a clear economic agenda amid rising living costs and market challenges. In a statement yesterday, the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) expressed hope that this year’s State of the Nation Address will signal a shift from politics to economic execution. “The country is tired of politics,” MAP president Donald Lim said, stressing how Filipinos grapple with high costs while businesses continue to navigate uncertainty and persistent market pressures. Lim said the government must continue its efforts to strengthen accountability while ensuring that anti-corruption efforts do not slow economic momentum. The priority now, he said, is to translate reforms into tangible results that will restore investor confidence and build economic resilience. “It is time to bring the conversation back to creating jobs, attracting investments, stabilizing food prices and improving the daily lives of our people,” Lim said. For the MAP, the exposure of the flood-control controversy marked a critical first step in demonstrating that the government is serious about accountability. But the group emphasized that fighting corruption must not come at the expense of economic development. “Infrastructure projects that are legitimate, transparent and urgently needed should continue moving. Likewise, continued investments in health care and education are critical,” Lim said. “Delaying public spending has its own economic cost through lost jobs, delayed investments and slower growth. The solution is not to stop building, but to build with greater transparency, stronger oversight and modern digital tools,” he added. The MAP is pushing for the enactment of the Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability Act, which seeks to establish a digital budget portal for all government transactions. It also supports other priority measures, including the Anti-Political Dynasty Bill, the Party-List System Reform Act and the Independent People’s Commission Act.