Marcos admits leaving out issues from SONA 2026 due to time
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Saturday, August 8, admitted that several issues were left out of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) because his speech was already running too long.
In a vlog released nearly two weeks after his July 27 address, Marcos said Filipinos should watch for his next SONA for some of the issues that did not make it into his speech.
“Marami kaming nailagay na kailangan na hindi namin na maisama, dahil masyado ng mahaba kaya’t abangan na lang ninyo sa susunod na SONA," Marcos said.
(We had a lot of things that we needed to leave out because it was too long. So just wait for them in the next SONA.)
Marcos said his team gradually shortened the speech to prevent it from lasting two and a half hours.
“So dahan-dahan naming ginawang mas maiksi para naman hindi umabot ng dalawang oras kalahati ang ang speech. Masyadong mapapagod ang tao pati ako mauubos ang boses ko,” he said.
(So we gradually shortened the speech so it wouldn’t end up lasting two and a half hours. People would get too tired, and I would lose my voice.)
His fifth SONA lasted one hour and 26 minutes, making it his longest annual address since he assumed the presidency.
The president said preparations for the speech began weeks before he delivered it at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. He said he primarily wrote the opening and closing portions, while his team handled research and supplied details such as statistics and events.
Marcos also said the speech continued to evolve until the last moment, including while he was already delivering it.
"At ang katotohanan nu'ng lumabas na 'yung speech ko, mayroon pa rin akong binago habang ako nagsasalita. Kaya 'pag basta't may naisip ako na mas maganda ang pwedeng pagkasabi eh 'yun ang aking ginagawa," he said.
Issues left out
In his vlog, Marcos read letters from people who wanted him to address specific concerns during his SONA.
Among the concerns raised was hunger and malnutrition among young Filipinos.
Marcos responded by citing the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Walang Gutom Program, which provides qualified poor families with P3,000 worth of food credits each month. He also mentioned school feeding programs and government funding for local government units to provide affordable rice to Filipinos in need.
He also mentioned the government’s Zero Balance Billing program, saying patients may have zero out-of-pocket expenses for medical services, laboratory tests, medicines and doctors’ fees through government subsidies and assistance from the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.
Marcos did not revisit some of the major issues he tackled during his SONA, including his announcement that criminal cases were being prepared against his cousin, former House Speaker and incumbent Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez, over alleged irregularities in flood control projects.
The president also said that his SONA should be seen as a starting point for government action.
“Alam ko na ang SONA ay higit pa sa isang talumpati marami pang trabaho ang kailangang gawin para maisabuhay ang lahat ng ating tinatalakay at minimithi bilang isang bayan,” he said.
(I know that the SONA is more than just a speech. There is still much work to be done to put into action everything we have discussed and aspire to achieve as a nation.)
Marcos has two years left in his term to pursue the priorities outlined in his fifth SONA, with some issues that did not make the speech potentially carrying over to his final address next year.
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