IN my July 3, 2022 column, I focused on honoring former president Rodrigo Duterte, who had just left Malacañang with high public approval ratings due to his various accomplishments. The transfer of power appeared smooth as Duterte passed the national leadership torch to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., confident that the new administration, with his daughter Sara as vice president, would continue his key initiatives. These included an open foreign policy, the war on illegal drugs, infrastructure and economic development projects, and improvements in basic services.

But expectations were soon shaken, as the Marcos administration discontinued many of Duterte's programs within the first two years. Since then, the former president's family, in particular, Sara — who resigned as education secretary in June — has become a focal point of scrutiny by Congress, especially on the budget of the Office of the Vice President and her assertive personality, given her potential candidacy in the 2028 presidential election.