Words Without Weight: Marcos’ SONA Lacks Urgency and Results

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address was polished, theatrical, and full of applause-worthy headlines. But beyond the well-rehearsed rhetoric and big-ticket promises, the glaring question remains: how much of this is real progress and how much is just performance?

Let’s not be fooled. The ₱20-per-kilo rice announcement, repackaged as a “proof of possibility,” is a public relations stunt more than a sustainable solution. Filipinos have been hearing about this “Benteng Bigas Meron” program for years, yet it remains accessible to only a handful through limited Kadiwa centers. It’s not a victory it’s a pilot project with a propaganda label.

The president also boasted of connectivity through fiber optics, power plants, and free Wi-Fi. But in provinces, students still struggle to download modules, and brownouts remain a weekly routine. If connectivity is national, why are the results still so selective?

And then there’s the call for cabinet resignations a dramatic move, one that signals a desperate attempt to regain credibility after political defeats and plummeting public trust. But let’s be honest: is this truly about performance evaluation, or is it a quiet purge of political liabilities? If the administration is serious about accountability, it should begin with those who have failed the people time and again not just those who lost influence.

On education and health, we heard ambitious slogans: one TESDA graduate per family, free mental health programs, and expanded scholarships. But in reality, teachers are still underpaid, school facilities remain dilapidated, and mental health programs are chronically underfunded. Promises without resources are nothing more than false hope.

What makes this year’s SONA more concerning is the deliberate silence on pressing social issues. No mention of wage hikes. No commitment to justice for victims of abuse and corruption. No clear stance on the war on drugs beyond another set of arrest numbers. The absence of real reform in governance, justice, and human rights is deafening and dangerous.

And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: Sara Duterte’s absence and the political rift it represents. The cracks in this so-called “Unity Team” are now impossible to hide. If Marcos can’t keep his own house in order, how can he lead a nation divided by hunger, inflation, and political fatigue?

The Filipino people are not looking for a show. We are looking for leadership one that listens, acts, and delivers. We’ve had enough of sweet words and glowing projections. What we demand now is action, equity, and truth.

President Marcos still has time to correct course. But he must trade grand speeches for ground-level work. He must stop chasing applause and start chasing results.

Because if he doesn’t, history won’t remember the promises made it will remember the promises broken. In the end, we don’t just need beautiful speeches. We need bridges that connect, rice that’s affordable, schools that nurture, and a government that truly listens. The time for talk is over. The time to deliver is now.

Philippine People’s Press | In Truth We Prevail