In his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. laid out his plans to provide support to Filipinos amid impacts of economic challenges.
With new programs, Marcos eyes to uplift the lives of Filipinos through providing necessary assistance and subsidies amid the crises.
In his speech, Marcos highlighted the measures initiated by the administration as a response to high oil prices, electricity costs, and in the most basic goods.
Marcos took pride in the measures the government implemented while the country was under a state of national energy emergency due to the oil crisis.
He likewise highlighted the government’s efforts to counter the impact of the crisis particular to the public transportation sector.
In electricity prices, Marcos ordered the refund for the overcharged bills, and allow some consumers to pay their bills in installments for 3 months.
Disconnecting consumers still paying was also temporarily banned.
Marcos noted that this is just some of the measures and initiative the government implemented, further assuring continuous support to Filipinos in times of need.
The Makabayan bloc in the Congress, however, found the President’s report insufficient, citing the still difficult situation of Filipinos.
In an official statement, the lawmakers criticized the speech, describing this as lacking concrete reforms to address the true needs of the countrymen.
For Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Elago, Marcos’ 2026 SONA failed to confront the structural policies that worsens the crisis.
Elago emphasized that aside from band aid solutions like ayuda and subsidies, the President should have focused on the legal policies and reforms that will directly address the issues.
“Ang kailangan ng mamamayan ay hindi paulit-ulit na ayuda kundi isang ekonomiyang nakasentro sa pangangailangan ng tao kaysa tubo. Alisin ang VAT sa mga batayang bilihin at serbisyo, ibasura ang EPIRA sa halip na amyendahan lamang, at palakasin ang lokal na produksyon upang makalikha ng mas maraming trabaho. Hangga’t hindi ito ginagawa, mananatiling hungkag ang mga salita ng administrasyon,” Elago said.
ACT Teachers Representative and Deputy Minority Leader Antonio Tinio likewise slammed the SONA, especially its response regarding the corruption scandal in the country.
Tinio argued that justice regarding corruption should not be selective.
“The big fish are not only in Congress or the Senate; they are in the Executive, which is exactly what the people are looking for. The people demand to know the role of Malacañang in the flood control scandal itself. There has been absolutely no investigation into the dismissed Cabinet Secretaries involved in this, nor into the President himself, despite several individuals pointing to him as being involved,” Tinio emphasized.
Meanwhile, Kabataan Rep. Atty. Renee Co expressed dismay and discontent over the SONA, which she described as Marcos’ display of false sense of achievements.
Co also emphasized the state terror and harassment faced by protesters during the SONA.
“Underwhelming ang SONA, pero overwhelming ang state terror. Habang sa loob ng Batasan ay hindi natugunan ang mga problema ng taumbayan sa kaniyang talumpati, sa labas naman ay todo-todong dinahas ang mga mamamayang naghihinaing at naniningil ng pananagutan. “Ano mang tangka ng administrasyon na magpabango, hindi na nila mapagtakpan ang sumisingaw na baho ng bulok na sistema. Ang tunay na kalagayan ng taumbayan na napatampok sa lansangan kahapon ay panata rin ng kabataan at mamamayan sa tuloy-tuloy na paglaban para baguhin ang lipunan,” Co shared.—Mia Layaguin, Eurotv News