A RANKING member of the House of Representatives on Monday fact-checked former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on his claim that his successor, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., has done little to improve the economy, particularly in the area of job generation.
“True to form, as with his rhetoric, Mr. Duterte is fast and loose with his economic numbers. The official data belies his baseless statement,” House Deputy Majority Leader and La Union Rep. Paolo Ortega V said.
“His administration did worse when it came to creating employment opportunities. More of our people are employed today under President Marcos Jr. than during his watch,” he said.
He cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), which showed that the unemployment rate under the Marcos administration stood at 3.82 percent in 2024, a sharp decline from 10.26 percent in 2020 in the middle of Duterte’s term, when the economy struggled even before the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said the 2024 unemployment level represented a steady improvement from 4.35 percent in 2023 and 5.39 percent in 2022, “showing that the Marcos administration has successfully fostered economic recovery and employment opportunities.”
“Sa ilalim ng administrasyon ni Pangulong Marcos, patuloy na bumababa ang bilang ng mga Pilipinong walang trabaho. Pero sa panahon ni Mr. Duterte, 2020 pa lang, bagsak na ang ekonomiya,” he said.
He said the underemployment rate — a measure of Filipinos who are employed but seeking additional work or longer work hours — also reflected a similar improvement.
“Under Mr. Duterte, underemployment remained above 16 percent from 2017 to 2020 and only marginally improved in 2021 and 2022. Under President Marcos Jr., underemployment has dropped to 11.93 percent in 2024, the lowest in recent years, signaling a shift toward more stable and sustainable employment,” he added.
The House leader further criticized ex-President Duterte’s handling of the economy, saying despite having pre-pandemic years to strengthen the labor market, his administration failed to prepare for economic shocks.
“Hindi pwedeng isisi ng nakaraang administrasyon sa pandemya ang bagsak nitong economic performance. In fact, the Duterte government had time to implement reforms starting in 2016, years before the pandemic,” he said.
In contrast, Ortega said the Marcos administration has prioritized job creation, investments and infrastructure development.
“President Marcos Jr.’s leadership has forged by stronger partnerships with private investors, both domestic and international, which has led to sustained job growth. His administration’s economic strategy focuses on long-term employment solutions, not just short-term recovery measures,” Ortega said.
“Sa halip na puro batikos, mas makabubuti kung magkaisa tayong palakasin ang ekonomiya. If Mr. Duterte and his allies truly care about the Filipino people, they should contribute constructively, rather than distort the facts,” Ortega added.
