President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday clarified that his earlier call for a “bold reset” in government operations is now being followed through with what he calls a “continuing performance review,” warning that business-as-usual attitudes have no place in his administration.
“I really don’t like ‘business as usual’ because that’s exactly why we have so many problems,” Mr. Marcos said during an interview.
“We’ve been doing ‘business as usual’ for decades. And where did that take us?” he added.
President Marcos emphasized that the entire government is effectively on “probation,” as he pushes for accountability and a stricter focus on timely, measurable results—not just in large-scale infrastructure and agricultural initiatives, but even in seemingly minor, everyday public services.
“This applies not only to big legacy projects—transportation, agriculture—but also to the little things,” he said.
“If you’re walking and there’s no trash bin, that should be addressed. If the stairs are slippery or the escalator doesn’t work, that’s a risk to public safety,” President Marcos added.
The president cited delays experienced by travelers at the San Juanico Bridge as an example of persistent service gaps that need immediate and consistent attention.
“These are things you have to check every single day. You can’t say, ‘It’s been fixed,’ and leave it. You have to go back and make sure,” President Marcos said.
“That’s why you’re on probation. It’s an ongoing assessment,” he added.
When asked if this amounted to a warning to government officials, President Marcos likened the approach to military discipline.
“In the military, when you’re told to do something and you don’t do it—out. Relieved. Next,” he said.
“We have to be very, very strict. Even if we’re friends, even if I love you, if you’re not doing the job, that’s not what matters. What matters is the service to the people,” the president added.