Lawmakers have expressed hope that the President’s third State of the Nation Address on Monday will include marching orders on the government’s reform agenda to address education, infrastructure and labor issues, among others.
Senator Sherwin Gatchalian believes that the SONA should be an opportunity for the President to publicly give clear targets for the basic education sector until 2028.
The senator said senior high school graduates must be job-ready, underscoring the need to align senior high school programs with market needs and institutionalize free national competency assessments for national certifications.
For Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, he said a good SONA hinges on the President outlining a robust infrastructure plan that transcends political administrations and leaves a lasting legacy for Filipinos.
He emphasized the importance of starting large-scale projects now to ensure timely completion and long-term benefits.
The chair of the House of Representatives committee on labor said he expects Mr. Marcos to tackle labor concerns in his SONA.
“Labor is a major sector and one that concerns every Filipino, so I expect that we will hear about his plans to address various issues on Monday,” Rizal Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
For his part, Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, president of the National Unity Party, backed Speaker Martin Romualdez’s commitment to hasten the passage of the 2025 national budget, the remaining Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) priority bills, and additional measures that the President may propose in his SONA.
“With only a handful of priority bills left on the House’s plate—based on Speaker Martin’s list—along with the proposed legislation that the President will endorse in his 3rd SONA, I believe that we in the bigger chamber have time to consider the passage of other pending, similarly vital, measures meant to further President Marcos’ vision of a Bagong Pilipinas where no Filipino will be left behind in the quest for high and inclusive growth,” Villafuerte said.
As this developed, the National Capital Region Police Office said it has finalized security measures for Monday’s event.
“The event is anticipated to attract a diverse range of attendees, including government officials, dignitaries, and the general public. In response, the NCRPO has finalized a comprehensive security plan,” NCRPO director Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
The security plan includes strategic personnel deployment, civil disturbance management, anti-criminality initiatives, counter-terrorism measures, traffic management, and an emergency response team.
Nartatez said 22,748 public safety and security forces will be deployed for the event, including 17,620 NCRPO personnel who will serve as security details.
Additionally, 2,317 personnel from PNP support units, including those from the national headquarters, and Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog regions, will be deployed.
