Last year’s momentous State of the Nation Address (SoNA) changed the course of this administration and possibly that of the next. President Bongbong Marcos Jr. used the occasion to condemn anomalies in flood control projects, including substandard and even nonexistent infrastructure. The declaration triggered investigations, exposed weaknesses in public spending and eventually forced a political and administrative reckoning that continues today.

This year, we should expect a safer speech. The President will likely summarize his administration’s accomplishments, acknowledge the difficulties confronting the country and rally his officials for the remaining two years of his term. There may still be a dramatic announcement, but the broader purpose will be to show that the government remains functional, focused and capable of finishing what it started.

The ceremony will bring the familiar procession, applause and enumeration of achievements. Malacañang has promised a program that is simple but dignified. Yet simplicity should describe not only the ceremony. It should also define the message. With only two years remaining, the President no longer has the luxury of presenting another catalogue of aspirations. His first four addresses already supplied the plans and promises. This SONA must tell us what has been completed and what can still be delivered before June 2028.

We do not expect the President to discuss the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte. Malacañang has repeatedly said that it will not interfere. Nevertheless, the impeachment will be the elephant in the room. It involves the person who remains the leading political threat to the administration and a possible front-runner for the presidency in 2028.

The latest Pulse Asia survey illustrates the political imbalance. Vice President Duterte received a 56 percent approval rating and 58 percent trust rating, while President Marcos registered a 29 percent approval rating and a 28 percent trust rating. Whether one supports or opposes the impeachment, those numbers explain why the trial cannot be separated from the political future of this administration.

Philippine presidents traditionally become lame ducks during their final years as allies search for the next center of power. President Marcos now faces the same danger. His capacity to preserve his coalition, complete his program and influence the next administration may become closely tied to the result of the impeachment trial. An acquittal could strengthen Duterte’s prospects for 2028, while a conviction could lead to her removal and disqualification from future public office.

Yet the President’s legacy cannot depend on the impeachment alone. It must still be measured through affordable food and electricity, jobs, honest public works, completed investigations and priority laws actually enacted. The remaining years should be governed through a public scorecard, with every major commitment assigned to an agency, a measurable target and a completion date.

The 2025 SONA altered the direction of government. The 2026 SONA must prove that the change produced results. The administration may already be entering its final stretch, but it still has time to replace promises with proof.