President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. marked the third year of his presidency this year, with a promise to deliver real, measurable change to the lives of ordinary Filipinos by the time he steps down in 2028. But the President’s halfway mark comes with mixed challenges and milestones. His administration’s vision of a “Bagong Pilipinas” has been tested by global economic pressures, domestic demands for reform, and geopolitical flashpoints abroad. For Marcos, the past three years have been about laying foundations for infrastructure, digital transformation, food security, and social protection. Among the President’s most visible legacies so far is his infrastructure push. Flagship Build Better More projects continue to rise, while mass transit reforms, including train ride discounts, expanded services, and the rollout of subway and railway projects, aim to ease urban congestion. Marcos has also tied his presidency to agriculture, as he acted as secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) early in his term. From fertilizer subsidies to Kadiwa stores and irrigation projects, he has pursued a broad vision of food security. His administration’s P20 per kilo rice program is now available in 82 provinces, with the completion of the nationwide rollout of the “Benteng Bigas Meron (BBM) Na” initiative. The DA said that 429 sites nationwide now offer the P20 per kilo rice and other agricultural products. By 2026, the DA aims to reach 15 million households. The program currently benefits teachers, non-teaching staff, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents, 4Ps beneficiaries, indigenous peoples, low-income earners, farmers, fisherfolk, transport workers, and participants in the Department of Social Welfare and Development Walang Gutom program. The DA also plans to expand its online registry to include delivery riders, drivers, bus conductors, and security personnel. “Our real objective is to achieve sustainable and affordable rice,” Marcos said in a recent podcast, noting government efforts to protect local farmers amid imports and global volatility. Marcos also backed a national upskilling roadmap in partnership with the Private Sector Advisory Council to prepare the Filipino workforce for an AI-powered future. Expanded student immersion, digital leadership training, and job fairs are also part of the initiative, alongside calls to modernize the education and labor sectors. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro has said this approach “aims not just to train workers but to empower the entire population to thrive in an AI-driven world.” On public safety, the President has endorsed community-focused enforcement and visible police presence. The “Cops on the Beat” program seeks to make police officers more accessible, while high-value drug busts and destruction of seized narcotics underscore a shift toward systemic accountability. “We want to see that from the capture of the illegal drugs, all the way to its destruction, the system is solid,” he said at a drug incineration in Tarlac. Whether in the West Philippine Sea or the Middle East, Marcos has sought a balance between assertiveness and diplomacy. In a podcast, he reaffirmed: “We did not yield. We continue to protect the sovereignty of the Republic.” The administration has also managed repatriation efforts from conflict zones in Israel and Iran, while actively engaging partners like Japan for tourism, trade, and disaster-monitoring cooperation through space technology. Following oil price volatility amid Israel-Iran tensions, Marcos convened his economic team and assured the public that there was no significant effect on the Philippine economy. He warned, however, against artificial price hikes and stressed continued vigilance. With three years down and three to go, Marcos has made clear that he intended to stay the course—delivering not just promises, but what he hoped would be permanent improvements. “We made a change for the better,” the President said when asked what he wanted to be remembered by. Marcos triggered a landslide of controversy when he first addressed corruption in his State of the Nation Address. However, resigned lawmaker Zaldy Co accused the president and his family of plunder. The Palace denied Co’s accusation, challenging the missing lawmaker to come home and face the music. The fallout from Co’s accusation is apparent, however, with two major cabinet secretaries stepping away from their posts after being implicated in the alleged P100 billion insertion. Marcos also faces declining popularity and trust following the corruption scandal. Despite this, the President said that he wanted to finish what he started. “We have to go through all that pain, go through the difficulty, go through the anguish the country is going through now. But we are Filipinos. We may be bleeding now, but we will also heal very, very quickly,” he said.