The Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII) commended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for “the exceptional candor demonstrated in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA) regarding systemic governance challenges.”
FFCCCII President Victor Lim said that “President Marcos’ forthright acknowledgment of governmental shortcomings, particularly his unequivocal condemnation of excessive political corruption, resonates profoundly with the business community and the Filipino people.”
Lim added that “this corruption is not merely a moral failing; it is a primary driver of our country’s entrenched poverty, deepens social inequities, and critically undermines our national economy. It manifests in perceived massive wastages, fuels perennial fiscal and budget deficits, and necessitates unsustainable borrowing—diverting resources desperately needed for genuine national development.”
ESSENTIAL SOCIAL SERVICES, EDUCATION
In a statement, the FFCCCII strongly endorsed the President’s focus on bolstering essential social services and uplifting the quality of education as foundational pillars for inclusive progress.
“Crucially, the FFCCCII offers its vigorous and unequivocal support for President Marcos’ specific commitment to combat the plague of corruption, particularly the scourge of ‘ghost projects.’ These phantom initiatives represent a direct and unconscionable theft from the Filipino people,” the FFCCCII said.
The Chinese Federation called for rigorous, systemic, periodic and transparent audits and performance reviews across all government agencies and projects. “This moment demands more than recognition; it requires political will, national unity and decisive action.”
ANTI-CORRUPTION REFORMS
As largest organization of Filipino-Chinese businesses in the country, the FFCCCII urgently called upon the Administration and the Legislature to enact profound, systemic anti-corruption reforms.
“We need strengthened institutions, unimpeded transparency, robust accountability mechanisms, certainty of punishments and unwavering enforcement of the rule of law. Only through such fundamental systemic reforms can we restore public trust, ensure efficient use of public funds, unlock sustainable economic growth, and genuinely uplift the lives of all Filipinos,” the FFCCCII said.
It reiterated its position to stand “ready to support the Marcos administration in this critical endeavor for the future of our nation.”
