The Philippines in 2015: The calm before the political storm

The year started auspiciously with the successful visit of Pope Francis in Manila. Unfortunately, the afterglow of the event was overshadowed by the tragic death of 44 members of the Special Action Forces (SAF), 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and five civilians in a botched operation to capture Indonesian terrorist Marwan in Mamasapano, Mindanao. The major political fallout from the tragedy was the breakdown of the peace negotiations with the MILF. The administration was also beleaguered by accusations of incompetence in connection with the monstrous traffic crisis in Metro Manila, extortion rackets at the airport, and the mismanagement of LRT and MRT railway systems. Nonetheless, it demonstrated decisiveness in pursuing an arbitral case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Despite overseeing a succession of impressive economic growth, the legacy of the Aquino administration and the victory of its anointed successor in the 2016 elections are endangered as a result of these political controversies. © 2016 Philippine Political Science Association (PPSA)