Leading Philippine business groups, PCCI and FFCCCII, laud President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2025 SONA, praising his firm stance against corruption and call for inclusive economic growth.
Two of the Philippines’ largest business organizations have thrown their support behind President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements in his 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), particularly his firm stance against corruption and call for inclusive economic growth.
The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inc. (FFCCCII) lauded the president’s speech.
PCCI [resident Consul Enunina Mangio described the address as one of the most “compelling” in recent memory, praising the president’s direct messaging, people-centered policies and support for enterprise development.
“This time, it’s really different from previous SONAs. We feel the sincerity of the President. We fully support all the things that he said,” Mangio said, highlighting Marcos Jr.’s repeated condemnation of corruption in infrastructure and flood control projects.
“That alone should make a big dent on those who profit from bogus projects,” she said.
FFCCCII president Victor Lim commended the president’s “exceptional candor” in acknowledging systemic governance flaws, especially his direct confrontation of entrenched political corruption, which he said has long undermined the country’s development.
“Corruption is not merely a moral failing, it is a root cause of poverty, social inequity, and economic stagnation. It results in massive wastage, chronic budget deficits, and unsustainable borrowing,” Lim said.
The FFCCCII called for regular, transparent audits and performance reviews across all government agencies, while urging both the executive and legislative branches to enact sweeping, long-overdue anti-corruption reforms.
“We need strengthened institutions, unimpeded transparency, robust accountability mechanisms, and certainty of punishment. Only through such systemic reforms can we restore public trust and unlock inclusive, sustainable growth,” Lim said.
From a business standpoint, the PCCI underscored the SONA’s clear focus on enterprise growth and investment promotion as crucial tools in reducing poverty and generating jobs.
Mangio cited the president’s commitment to provide capital support for micro-entrepreneurs and attract strategic investments in sectors such as electronics, garments, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals and construction.
The group also welcomed the creation of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industry Advisory Council through Administrative Order No. 31 and called for similar public-private mechanisms to boost other key industries.
However, the chamber noted the absence of a formal legislative agenda in the SONA, and urged the government to act on longstanding issues such as regulatory bottlenecks, slow digitalization and high compliance costs.
“We would have wanted to hear more about easing red tape, streamlining business processes, and modernizing government services. These remain major pain points for businesses,” Mangio said.
She also cited the need to expand micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) access to credit and technology and improve education through more advanced technical and digital training, including artificial intelligence.
Both FFCCCII and PCCI echoed a shared call for decisive follow-through on the president’s commitments.
“This moment demands more than recognition; it requires political will, national unity and decisive action. We need strengthened institutions, unimpeded transparency, robust accountability mechanisms, certainty of punishments and unwavering enforcement of the rule of law,” Lim said.
The PCCI called for decisive action, policy reforms and implementation to turn intentions into outcomes.
