President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said investor confidence in the Philippines has been restored, despite recent corruption controversies, highlighting his administration’s efforts to expose and resolve government irregularities.
Speaking during a press briefing in Gyeongju, South Korea on the sidelines of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, Marcos was asked about the remarks of Salvador Ahumada, the American chief executive officer of Bangkok-based ACEIS, who said he remained confident in investing in the country even amid the flood control controversy.
“Well, if we had not exposed it, then they would be saying that there’s a problem. Now that we have exposed it, their confidence is stronger in the Philippines,” Marcos said.
He added that the government’s transparency in confronting corruption has helped rebuild trust among investors.
“Kasi kahit may ganyan, talagang inaayos nila. So that’s why things have changed. The level of confidence in the Philippine economy and in the Philippine government as the leader and the guider of the economy is restored,” he said.
Marcos emphasized that corruption exists in every country, but investors judge governments by how decisively they act to address the problem.
“But the only problem, especially for investors, is whether or not the government is doing anything about it. If the government is doing nothing about it, I would guess he wouldn’t say the same thing,” the President explained.
Earlier, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go said concerns that the flood control controversy would drive investors away were “overblown.”
Go stressed that investors were reassured by the administration’s swift action in filing cases and enforcing accountability among those implicated in corruption.
His remarks came shortly after the U.S. State Department released a report describing “pervasive corruption” as one of the barriers to foreign investment in the Philippines.
Despite this, Marcos maintained that transparency and active governance reforms continue to strengthen investor trust and economic momentum in the country.