PBBM delivers his fourth SONA; vows to restore public trust through tangible results | Photo by PCO via Wikimedia Commons
MANILA – As Metro Manila waded through waist-deep floods and thousands marched in torrential rains, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, 2025, before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
His speech championed unity, rebuked corruption, and sidestepped rising dissent — inside a Congress still drying from the week’s calamities, and outside a nation clamoring for climate justice, remittance equity, and real reform.
This SONA marks the midpoint of his six-year term, and the speech laid out his administration’s achievements and priorities for the remaining three years.
The only former president who attended the president’s 2025 SONA was Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She was formally acknowledged during the opening of the speech and seated among other dignitaries.
Senators boycott the 2025 SONA.
Former President Rodrigo Duterte was notably absent. He is currently detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, facing charges related to his administration’s war on drugs. His allies—including Senators Imee Marcos, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Robin Padilla, and Bong Go—boycotted the SONA in protest of his detention.
Marcos delivered his report in an hour and 11 minutes. It was his shortest SONA to date, but still packed with policy pledges, critiques of corruption, and calls for unity.
According to reports, the atmosphere among lawmakers was largely cooperative, with over 100 rounds of applause and a standing ovation for the president. Senators and representatives praised his speech’s bold tone, especially its rebuke of corruption in flood control projects and its push for economic equity.
The president’s call to “set aside differences” and “give it our all” in the last half of his term was met with visible nods and affirmations from both chambers. However, some political maneuvering was evident: a few lawmakers abstained from voting for Speaker Romualdez, hinting at emerging independence blocs.
Most lawmakers in attendance
Despite the severe flooding across Metro Manila and nearby provinces, most lawmakers were present. The House of Representatives officially opened the 20th Congress on the morning of July 28, 2025, with 290 lawmakers answering the roll call. Reports indicate that 293 representatives were expected to vote for Speaker Martin Romualdez, showing near-full attendance despite the weather disruptions.
The Senate also convened with its full roster, including newly elected senators from the May 2025 midterms, but with the absence of senators allied with former President Duterte, who staged a boycott.
It was led exclusively by senators allied with former President Duterte—namely Imee Marcos, Ronald dela Rosa, Padilla, and Go—in protest of Duterte’s detention by the ICC. Meanwhile, the House, which is primarily aligned with the current administration, remained engaged and even initiated the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte earlier this year.
“I don’t want to pretend… It wouldn’t make sense to go there frowning. That would be awkward, right? It also wouldn’t feel right to smile when deep inside I’m upset with them,” dela Rosa said. “He expressed disappointment with certain congressmen and people in Malacañang, saying he didn’t want to “pretend” in front of them.”
“Hindi, nakikiisa lamang ako sa Duterte bloc po at hindi naman talaga pupunta,” the president’s sister, Imee, said. She clarified that her absence was in solidarity with the Duterte bloc and not influenced by Vice President Sara Duterte’s own decision to skip the event.
The vice president was also not present. Her absence marked the second consecutive year she skipped the event, underscoring the deepening rift between the Marcos and Duterte camps. She made her stance clear in a June interview, saying:
“I do not intend to attend the State of the Nation Address of President Marcos since I don’t think he will be providing anything substantial about our country.”
When reminded that attending the SONA is part of her duty as the second-highest official, she responded:
“He is the one with the duty; we have no obligation to listen. We have the right to listen or not to listen. There is no law requiring us to hear the President’s SONA.”
At the time of the address, she was reportedly in South Korea, continuing a series of overseas trips that included rallies for her father.
As of now, neither Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri nor House Speaker Romualdez has issued a formal public statement directly criticizing or addressing the vice president’s absence.
However, their actions spoke volumes. Romualdez ensured that a seat and holding room were reserved for the vice president, signaling institutional respect despite political tensions.
Zubiri, while presiding over the opening of the Senate session, made no mention of Duterte’s absence, maintaining a neutral tone amid the impeachment trial delays.
The silence from both leaders may reflect a strategic choice to avoid inflaming divisions within the administration and legislature, especially with the impeachment trial of the Vice President still pending and politically sensitive.
As of now, there’s no verified report indicating that members of the House of Representatives joined the boycott of Marcos’s 2025 SONA. The House was well-represented, with Speaker Romualdez presiding and 314 district and party-list representatives formally acknowledged during the session.
Unlike past SONAs, the event was notably toned down — no red carpet, no fashion coverage — in solidarity with flood victims. The House issued a memo urging members to avoid ostentatious displays, citing the recent calamities and emphasizing austerity and empathy.
His 2025 SONA covered several topics like governance and public Service, jobs and livelihood, agricultural and food security, meat & crop production, energy and utilities, water security, health and social protection, education and youth, infrastructure and transport, peace and security, and sports and wellness.
Key statements from Marcos’s speech
There were instances during the president’s speech that members of Congress stood up to affirm key statements multiple times, signaling support for his administration’s priorities and rhetoric. These standing ovations and applause moments were strategic, often aligning with themes of economic recovery, national unity, and anti-corruption.
For example, when Marcos called for national unity, saying, ““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.” Lawmakers stood and applauded this call for unity, especially after a divisive midterm election.
Another one is when he mentioned anti-corruption in flood control projects. He said, “Hindi tayo papayag na ang pondo para sa kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan ay mapunta sa bulsa ng mga tiwali.” A standing ovation followed this rebuke of corrupt officials, especially in light of recent flooding.
Marcos also stated his commitment to sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. “The Filipino people will not yield,” he said. Lawmakers stood in support of this strong stance on maritime sovereignty and regional defense cooperation.
At a moment where his statement drew sustained applause, with many lawmakers rising to affirm the administration’s economic narrative, he talked about economic recovery and job creation. “Kung datos lang ang pag-uusapan, maganda ang ating ekonomiya… Dumarami ang mga nalilikhang hanapbuhay sa ating bansa ngayon.”
Perhaps, in a more memorable and influential quote from his SONA, was his final call for inclusive growth: “We are not merely rebuilding;” he said, “we are reimagining a stronger, more inclusive nation.” The final lines of the speech were met with a full standing ovation from both chambers.
These moments were choreographed to project unity and momentum, even as political fractures — such as the absence of Duterte-aligned senators — loomed in the background.
Meanwhile, progressive groups in the Philippines, such as Bayan Muna, Gabriela, and Anakbayan, gave Marcos a “failing grade”, stamping “FAIL” on a symbolic report card during a press conference.
Despite the administration’s attempt to project resilience and unity, the 2025 SONA unfolded amid widespread criticism. Outside the Batasang Pambansa, drenched demonstrators decried remittance taxation, disaster neglect, and political absence — calling to what they dubbed “VIP diplomacy” while their homeland soaked in calamity.
Raul Sissay of Bayan Muna-SMR cited Marcos’s subservience to U.S. interests (e.g., Trump meeting, EDCA expansion), lack of urgency n wage hikes and economic returns, and hesitation to hold Vice President Duterte accountable.
Progressive groups hold People’s SONA.
In New York, groups like Malaya Movement, Damayan, and Bayan USA staged a “People’s SONA” outside the Philippine Consulate, condemning Marcos’s “VIP diplomacy” during floods, deportations, neglect of migrant concerns, militarization, and unjust trade deals.
The official opposition response to Marcos’s 2025 SONA was delivered by Senator Risa Hontiveros, the de facto leader of the Senate minority bloc.
Hontiveros delivers the opposition’s response
She criticized the SONA as “a speech of numbers, not of people,” saying it lacked empathy for those affected by floods, inflation, and displacement. She called out the administration’s “VIP diplomacy” during disasters, referencing Marcos’s U.S. rip while parts of Luzon were underwater.
Hontiveros also questioned the sincerity of the P20 rice promise, labeling it “a photo-op, not a policy, and urged accountability for corruption in flood control projects and demanded transparency in defense agreements like DCA and nuclear partnerships. She also highlighted the absence of Vice President Duterte and Duterte-aligned senators as a sign of deepening political fractures.
Her response was aired on major networks and live-streamed by progressive media outlets. It was also amplified by youth groups and civil society coalitions, many of whom held parallel “People’s SONA” events.
Marcos honored each of the gallery guests, like Sofronio Vasquez, a singer from Bohol, Engineer Maricel Dela Cruz, who led the restoration of power in Siquijor, and Barangay Captain Lito Manalpig, who led the rescue during a bridge collapse.
According to some media outlets, the PNP deployed 16,000 officers and reported no major disruptions, with rallies proceeding peacefully but passionately.
