IN the same hall where he once said “the state of the nation is sound,” President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday returned to Congress to mark the halfway point of his presidency, this time with a firmer call to action.
“Isantabi na natin ang ating pagkakaiba, at magkasundo na sa tatlong bagay na nagbibigkis sa atin: sa ating pagiging Pilipino, ang ating pagiging makabansa, at ang ating sinumpaang tungkulin sa taumbayan,” Marcos said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
In a brisk but resolute speech that lasted one hour and 10 minutes, slightly shorter than last year’s one hour and 22 minutes, Marcos mapped out the next half of his presidency, laying out a sweeping agenda on jobs, food, education, healthcare, infrastructure, good governance, and security.
He also directly confronted long-simmering public frustration with government inefficiencies.
According to the President, the economy is doing well, business confidence is up, inflation is down, and jobs have increased based on the latest data.
But all of these, he said, are meaningless, mere decoration, if Filipinos are still struggling in their daily lives.
“Kaya sa huling tatlong taon ng administrasyon, ibubuhos pa natin ang lahat-lahat. Hindi lamang upang mapantayan, kundi mahigitan pa ang pagbibigay-ginhawa sa ating mga kababayan,” Marcos said.
His 2025 SONA drew at least 124 rounds of applause, with the loudest and longest for his order to audit billions of pesos worth of flood control projects, many of which have failed to address massive flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
Jobs, microenterprise at the core
“Maayos na hanapbuhay talaga ang mabisang pantiyak laban sa kahirapan at laban sa gutom (Decent jobs are the best shield against poverty and hunger),” Marcos declared.
He reported that the unemployment rate is down to four percent and pledged to help 2.5 million poor families start microenterprises through government capital, training, and interest- and collateral-free loans.
Agencies like the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Development will coordinate to deliver these programs, Marcos said.
P20 rice, feeding program scale-up
Marcos also showcased the rollout of PHP20-per-kilo rice in select areas as “proof of possibility,” noting that farmers still made a profit under the subsidy scheme.
“Ito ang aking tugon. Napatunayan natin na kaya na natin ang bente pesos sa bawat kilo ng bigas, nang hindi malulugi ang mga magsasaka!” he said, to strong applause.
The government also expanded its nationwide feeding program for schoolchildren, following promising results in early pilots.
“Ipinagpapatuloy ng DSWD at ng DepEd [Department of Education] ang feeding program nila para sa mga daycare center at pampublikong paaralan, na nakapagbigay ng masustansyang pagkain at gatas sa mahigit tatlo’t kalahating milyong mag-aaral sa buong bansa,” Marcos said.
“Dahil alam naman natin, basta’t may laman ang tiyan, may laman ang isipan (Because we know, when the stomach is full, the mind is full),” he added.
Kadiwa outlets will also be expanded nationwide, Marcos said, while warning smugglers and hoarders: “Hahabulin namin kayo… dahil ang ginagawa ninyo ay economic sabotage (We will go after you — because what you’re doing is economic sabotage).”
Flood control audit: Standing ovation, loudest cheer
The most thunderous applause of the day came when Marcos ordered a full audit of all flood control projects, blasting costly but ineffective infrastructure.
This was following the recent floods in various areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces triggered by monsoon rains and clogged waterways, which exposed flaws in flood mitigation projects despite billions of pesos in spending.
“‘Wag na po tayong magkunwari. Alam naman ng buong madla na nagkakaraket sa mga proyekto… Kaya sa mga nakikipag-sabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino!,” Marcos said.
“Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa baha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak natin na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo, na binulsa niyo lang ang pera,” he added.
