MANILA — Malacañang on Saturday drew a direct line between the country’s recent economic slowdown and what it called unresolved anomalies left behind by the Duterte administration, asserting that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s government is now spending considerable effort cleaning up problems it did not create.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro said many of the controversies now resurfacing—particularly those involving flood control projects—originate from the previous administration and continue to hamper economic momentum.
“Maraming anomalya na dapat nating malaman, pati ‘yung mga ghost project na inamin naman ng dating Pangulong Duterte,” Castro said, emphasizing that irregularities tied to major infrastructure programs require full public disclosure.
She added that these long-standing issues are now burdening national performance. “So, lahat po ng kalat ng nakaraan, ngayon po natin nililinis. At malamang isa ito sa mga dahilan kung bakit nagkakaroon po ng hindi magandang epekto ito sa ekonomiya,” she said.
Castro’s remarks came after Vice President Sara Duterte accused the Marcos administration of “daydreaming” for projecting an economic rebound by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Responding to the criticism, Castro said recent natural disasters—along with unresolved concerns in flood control programs—contributed to the weaker-than-expected GDP growth in the third quarter. She also underscored that claims of corruption predate Marcos’ term.
“But ang pangako ng Pangulo, gagawin ang lahat, pati ang economic team, gagawin ang lahat para maiangat pa ang ekonomiya ng bansa,” she said./PN
