Photo Courtesy: Daily Tribune & Philippine Inquirer
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on July 28, 2025. This SONA serves as the halfway mark of Marcos’ administration reporting their progress and achievements, but underneath the optimistic statements lie the current challenges that too many Filipinos continue to face daily.
“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan,” Dr. Jose Rizal’s famous lines reiterates that the results of Halalan 2025 were historic with around 35% registered voters belonging to the youth aged 18 to 35 years old. Remembering the courtesy resignations of all cabinet secretaries last May 21, Marcos acknowledged the failure and disappointment of the Filipinos on government services that he calls for the government to do better and move faster.
“Kung datos lang ang pag-uusapan, maganda ang ating ekonomiya, tumaas ang kumpiyansa ng mga negosyante. Bumaba ang inflation, dumami ang trabaho.”
The administration pointed to these signs of economic recovery and their promise that stable livelihood is the surest weapon against hunger underscores the government’s focus on job creation and livelihood support.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 5.4% in the first quarter of 2025, a modest acceleration compared to the 5.2% last quarter of 2024, yet still below the government’s original target range of 6% to 7% for the year.
Notably, the expansion of the 20 pesos rice under the Kadiwa initiative was highlighted — acclaimed as a win-win for both consumers and farmers. However, farmers, fisherfolks, and consumers suggest that inflation still severely affects affordability and that the agriculture sector remains fragile and dependent on imports.
Climate related disruptions like typhoons, droughts, and flooding often result in lost harvests and unstable rural incomes. The sector also suffers from productivity issues, weak infrastructure, and fragmented policy support.
Marcos actively pitched the Philippines as a prime investment destination. He delivered a strong appeal to global investors stating, “The Philippines is ready. Invest in the Filipino.”
It underscores the administration's strategy to spur economic growth by supporting entrepreneurs and workforce development. However, translating this ambition into accessible opportunities and improved livelihoods for ordinary Filipinos remains a pressing challenge given persistent inflation and structural economic gaps.
Energy remains a major concern in the country. The Department of Energy's goal to connect over a million households by 2028 comes amid ongoing outages and regulatory lapses, such as the expired permits affecting Siquijor’s power supply.
Infrastructure projects, including the much-anticipated SLEX extension and rehabilitation of critical bridges, promise better connectivity, but these must be weighed against visible setbacks like failed flood control measures that have caused widespread damage and public outcry.
While the revival of unused Dalian trains on MRT and the "Love Bus" free ride initiative aim to ease public transportation, structural inefficiencies keep many commuters stranded while public transport struggles with maintenance and service reliability.
The country's main airport, Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), faces severe congestion, operating beyond its 35-million passenger capacity (handling almost 50 million passengers), making it one of the least efficient airports in Asia. While the public transport system suffers from insufficient supply, leading to overcrowding, long waiting times, and often unsafe or uncomfortable conditions for commuters.
In education, the administration proudly announced expanded early childhood development programs and digital reforms. Incentives for teachers include compensation for overload and digitalization of paperwork. However, the sector grapples with deeply rooted problems: underfunded facilities, insufficient learning materials, widespread student bullying, and mental health issues remain rampant, much like the previous years. Marcos declared the construction of 22,000 new classrooms, with plans to build 40,000 more.
The health sector witnessed promises of enhanced free benefits under PhilHealth, nutrition programs, and programs aimed at zero-balance billing for public hospitals, alongside free dialysis and kidney transplants. But these must be sustained and expanded as many Filipinos still face limited access to quality healthcare and essential services especially in rural areas.
The SONA reiterated the administration’s motto of “a friend to all, enemy to none,” highlighting the Philippines’ role in ASEAN and international relations. Still, domestic peace and order concerns linger with unresolved human rights issues, the plight of marginalized sectors, and continued criminality related to illegal gambling and drug trade.
Marcos mentioned the continuation of illegal drug trade operations as well as the case on missing sabungeros headed by the Philippine National Police. “Hahabulin at pananagutin natin ang mga utak at mga sangkot, sibilyan man o opisyal. Kahit malakas, mabigat, o mayaman, hindi sila mangingibabaw sa batas.”
The call to enhance disaster response is timely given the country’s vulnerability to natural calamities. However, the government’s flood control initiatives were publicly criticized for failures and lack of transparency. The commitment to publish and account for completed projects is a necessary step towards rebuilding public trust.
President Marcos’ SONA 2025 is filled with hopeful slogans, developmental blueprints, and friendly diplomatic overtures. But the echo of “missed opportunities” persists. A notable silence on key controversies such as online gambling, wage hikes, and VP Sara Duterte’s impeachment case during the address reflects a cautious approach that avoids addressing some of the most pressing challenges Filipinos face on the ground.
The social impact of gambling addiction poses a serious challenge for Filipinos because of the accessibility of online gambling. Ongoing debates on P100-200 daily wage hike play an urgent part in economic relief and in addressing income inequality but policymakers remain apprehensive that it might raise inflation by 2%.
Moreover, the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is unprecedented — she is the first Philippine vice president to be impeached by the House (though not convicted by the Senate). Her charges involve serious allegations such as fund misuse, unexplained wealth, bribery, and even conspiracy to commit murder. The Supreme Court ultimately quashed the impeachment on constitutional technicalities.
“Tayo ang Bagong Pilipino.”
Marcos’ call for unity and perseverance feels at once aspirational and distant as long-standing issues demand more than rhetoric and require genuine, sustained commitment to inclusive development and accountability.