“The SONA cannot be business as usual. It must be a decisive articulation of leadership – focused, grounded, and responsive to the real conditions facing ordinary Filipinos”
Today, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his State of the Nation Address, the country is reeling—not only from persistent economic hardship, but also from the devastation of over a week of torrential rains and flooding that battered every region of the Philippines.
The political atmosphere also remains charged following the Supreme Court’s controversial ruling declaring the impeachment attempt against Vice President Sara Duterte unconstitutional.
In this context of crisis and disruption, the SONA cannot be business as usual. It must be a decisive articulation of leadership – focused, grounded, and responsive to the real conditions facing ordinary Filipinos.
The latest Pulse Asia survey data is a clear signal.
Economic anxiety remains the overriding concern for Filipinos. Sixty-two percent want inflation curbed. Half want higher wages.
One in four is focused on job availability. When asked about personal struggles, 53 percent are most worried about securing a stable income; 45 percent are anxious about building any savings at all.
These are not abstract policy preferences – they are daily realities for millions.
Any SONA that doesn’t begin with these priorities risks losing relevance.
The President must use this platform to present concrete legislative proposals – not vague intentions – that directly tackle these issues.
These include subsidies for essential goods, tax reforms that offer real relief to low and middle-income earners, and incentives that spur job creation in both urban centers and rural economies.
It’s also time to spotlight progress in agriculture, particularly where rice prices have been reduced and support for local farmers has increased.
These achievements matter, but only if they’re sustained and scaled. For an administration that has pledged inclusive growth, these actions will be the real test.
Social welfare also demands attention – not as an afterthought, but as a pillar of national development. Despite economic gains on paper, hunger and poverty remain persistent.
Public safety and peace and order also rank high among citizen concerns, especially outside Metro Manila.
Meanwhile, nearly two-thirds of Filipinos are most concerned about staying healthy and avoiding illness.
Access to food, healthcare, and safety are not optional – they are minimum expectations in any serious agenda for social equity.
Then there is the issue of national pride and sovereignty.
Seventy-three percent of Filipinos expect this administration to stand firm in asserting our rights in the West Philippine Sea.
This is not just about defending maritime territory – it’s about upholding the dignity of the nation.
A decisive, principled stance must come with legislative backing, such as enhanced funding for maritime defense and anti-corruption measures in agencies tasked with national security.
It is also a test of whether the administration is willing to match rhetoric with resolve.
In today’s digitally connected Philippines, where 87 percent of citizens are online and nearly all of them use social media, governance must evolve.
The internet is not just a space for engagement – it’s also a battleground for truth.
The President must call for legislation that counters online disinformation and bolsters digital literacy. Government portals should go beyond being repositories of information – they must become interactive, transparent platforms where citizens participate meaningfully.
A democracy only works when people are informed and involved.
Speaking of democracy, we cannot ignore the legitimacy of our electoral process.
While 35 percent of Filipinos believe the May 2025 elections were more credible than previous ones, doubts persist – particularly in Mindanao, where concerns about fraud remain acute.
If the President is serious about strengthening our democratic institutions, electoral reform must be on his priority list.
That means modernizing voting systems, curbing vote-buying, and increasing transparency. Voter education, especially for the youth, is essential to restoring faith in elections.
This SONA must resonate with the Filipino people by addressing their most pressing concerns and proposing legislation that institutionalizes real solutions.
By focusing on economic stability, social welfare, governance reforms, and territorial defense, the President can show that inclusive development is not just a slogan but a governing principle.
That’s how trust is earned. That’s how confidence is restored. That’s how real leadership is defined.
In a nation facing simultaneous hardship and crises, the public demands – and deserves – tangible commitments backed by decisive action.
This SONA must not just be a report on the past year.
It must be an inspiring direction to collectively move forward.
It must deliver substance over spectacle.
