President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27. Ahead of the event, which will be kept “simple yet dignified,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said that the president is expected to make “earthshaking announcements,” though she did not expound further during a press briefing on Thursday, July 23. That day, Marcos also told reporters, “Abangang ang susunod na kabanata.”
Ahead of the SONA, Pulse Asia released the results of a survey asking 2,400 Filipinos what they most wanted the president to discuss. The top answer, cited by 29.8 percent of respondents, was the administration’s fight against corruption, particularly the ongoing flood control scandal. Other priorities included affordable basic goods, jobs, poverty, fuel prices, and education. And though Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial has been making headlines in the past month, only 1.8 percent of respondents said they are keen to hear about it in the SONA.
Marcos has largely stayed out of the impeachment trial, saying he does not want to interfere with the Senate’s work as an impeachment court, so it would not be surprising if he does not raise the issue in his speech. But since delivering his last SONA, there have been many other issues that Marcos should address.
West Philippine Sea and China
It’s the issue we hear about every year. The Philippines continues to experience aggression from China and its coast guard in the West Philippine Sea, which Beijing asserts as its territory. On Tuesday, July 21, Marcos met with Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to discuss the most recent clash at Ayungin Shoal, where China Coast Guard personnel assaulted two men from the Philippine Navy. That day, the Chinese government also summoned Philippine Ambassador Jaime FlorCruz to “lodge representation over the Philippines’ deliberate provocation and attack” at the shoal.
The meeting was held just after China Daily, a state-run media outlet, published an AI-generated video depicting Filipinos as monkeys, which Filipinos condemned as racist. Jing told the press that the Chinese government cannot control what its media outlets put out. Coming just days before the SONA, these incidents add fresh urgency to an issue that has remained a fixture of nearly every presidential address for the past decade.
Flood Control Corruption Scandal
Last year’s SONA set off a series of investigations into alleged anomalies in flood control projects. Since then, several Department of Public Works and Highways officials, contractors Sarah Discaya and Ma. Roma Angeline Romando, and former Senator Bong Revilla have been arrested and are awaiting trial, while former Congressman Zaldy Co remains on the run.
The investigations have shown that the government is willing to pursue those allegedly involved. The next question is what comes after. Marcos should explain how the administration plans to recover the estimated P180 billion in stolen public funds and, more importantly, what reforms will prevent another corruption scheme of this scale from happening again.
Pax Silica
Since its announcement in April, the Pax Silica Economic Security Zone has become one of the administration’s most controversial projects. On Thursday, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) sought to allay fears over the initiative, saying the project will rely on rainwater harvesting and recycling systems, will not displace Indigenous Peoples, and will not involve mining.
The BCDA’s assurances have done little to quiet activists and other concerned citizens. With the government expected to sign a formal agreement for the project in November, Marcos should address questions about water supply, especially as PAGASA has warned of a possible water crisis by 2027. The administration also needs to be more transparent about where raw materials will come from and how nearby communities will be protected.
Fuel Crisis
It has been four months since a blockade at the Strait of Hormuz triggered a global oil crisis, driving up fuel prices and electricity costs in the Philippines. On Tuesday, fuel prices surged again as the U.S. launched airstrikes once more on Iran, which controls the oil corridor.
The SONA could be an opportunity for Marcos to explain how the government is strengthening the country’s energy security, answering questions like “What progress has been made in finding alternative fuel sources?” and “What is the administration’s long-term plan for reducing the country’s dependence on imported oil?”
Education and Literacy Crisis
A major issue raised last year was the reading comprehension crisis among Filipino students, but not much has improved since then. According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s May report, around half of Filipino students from Grade 1 to Grade 11 still cannot read at their expected grade level. Last year, he also promised to build 40,000 classrooms to address the country’s classroom shortage before his term ends in 2028, but the Department of Education’s current classroom backlog stands at over 166,000.
In the Pulse Asia survey, only two percent of respondents said Marcos should discuss the state of education in his SONA. Still, the latest figures underscore the need for the administration to lay out concrete plans for improving literacy, reducing the classroom backlog, and preventing students from falling further behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
President Bongbong Marcos delivers his fifth SONA on Monday, July 27. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro says the event will be “simple yet dignified” with expected “earthshaking announcements.”
As with all past SONAs, the 2026 State of the Nation Address will be held at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
A Pulse Asia survey found 29.8 percent of 2,400 respondents want Marcos to focus on anti-corruption efforts, especially regarding the flood control scandal, followed by fuel prices and jobs.
It is unlikely that Marcos will touch on Duterte’s impeachment trials, having avoided commenting on it in the past. Only 1.8 percent of Pulse Asia survey respondents said they want it addressed in the SONA.
Investigations estimate around P180 billion in stolen public funds tied to anomalous flood control projects, with several officials and contractors already arrested and awaiting trial.
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