SoNA 2025: No time for show

Even as the country prepares for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 4th State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on 28 July, we still find ourselves reeling from the aftermath of relentless typhoons and widespread flooding.

With lives disrupted and communities submerged, urgent calls have surfaced, not only for relief and recovery but also for a rethinking of government priorities. Some even question whether the SoNA should proceed at all amid the chaos. But if it does, it must rise above ceremony and show, and become an occasion for proffered solutions, commitment and action.

At the heart of that urgency is the call for Flood Control and Climate Resilience. The recent storms have again exposed our deadly vulnerability to climate-driven disasters. The empty rhetoric must stop. The President must present a new, actionable blueprint: invest in infrastructure, deepen waterways, overhaul drainage systems, and flood-proof vulnerable areas. Anything less is collective negligence.

Equally critical is Economic Recovery and Inflation Control. Natural disasters, coupled with global economic shocks, have pushed inflation to painful heights. For many Filipinos, every trip to the market is a struggle. Hence, the President must offer more than optimism; he must deliver a solid, pro-people economic recovery plan that empowers local industries, protects jobs, and cushions families from rising costs.

His engagement with world leaders, including a promising meeting with US President Donald Trump, must now translate to real, measurable relief for the Filipino people.

Food Security can no longer be treated as a seasonal issue. With farms devastated by storms and harvests ruined, we teeter on the edge of a crisis. The President must prioritize robust agricultural support — subsidies, climate-adaptive technologies, and reliable supply chains — to ensure that food remains within the reach of all.

Then there is Healthcare, a sector still haunted by the problems exposed during the pandemic. As new threats to this sector loom, the President must champion a system that is not just reactive, but proactive and resilient. This means building more public hospitals, boosting their capabilities, expanding rural access to medical care, and providing community-based health education. Health is not a privilege; it is a right that demands state protection.

Lastly, the spotlight must also be on education and youth development. The learning crisis among our students persists. We need more classrooms and books. Our study-oriented digital infrastructure lags. The President must announce reforms that bridge educational divides, empower teachers, and equip our youth to thrive in a techno-driven future. A nation that neglects its youth has already compromised its future.

Even as the floodwaters recede, our expectations must remain high. The SoNA must not be a stage for spectacle or show, it must be a platform for doable solutions. Unlike in the past, it must have less pageantry and more purpose.

In these critical times, Filipinos must seek more than promises. We must seek a leadership that listens, acts, and unites. May this coming SoNA then be a call not just to govern, but to uplift. Let it be remembered not for its form, but for its bold resolve to carry a nation forward, with hope, healing, and much heart.