Philippines 2017-18 agenda has modest outlook

Significance

The act, aimed at improving government efficiency by closing or merging departments and state entities, is one of the priorities President Rodrigo Duterte set in his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) to congress on July 24, in which he also set out a critical position towards the country’s mining sector.

Impacts

• Police and military capacity spending will rise, but aid, chiefly from Beijing and Washington, is needed.
• The government’s pro-environment, pro-corporate social responsibility agenda could extend to non-mining economic firms.
• The administration will need foreign governments’ help to crack down on international drug supply chains.
• Streamlining government will see controversy and debate over what gets shut or merged.