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Marcos Jr says 2nd SONA to show PH 'made significant progress'

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ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the ceremonial signing of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Justice Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security Project at the Malacanang Palace on July 13, 2023. KJ Rosales, PPA pool" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/07/17/20230713-bbm-food-security-project-ppa-4.jpg"/><figcaption>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the ceremonial signing of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Justice Reformation Initiative for Sustainable Environment for Food Security Project at the Malacanang Palace on July 13, 2023. <em>KJ Rosales, PPA pool</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA (UPDATED) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Monday said his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) would focus on how the Philippines has &quot;made significant progress&quot; so far under his administration. </p><p>When asked about preparations for his SONA next week, Marcos said &quot;we have been worried about writing the speech.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/28/23/is-marcos-jrs-foreign-policy-working">13 travels abroad, stronger stance on WPS: Is Marcos Jr&#x27;s foreign policy working?</a></li></ul><p>&quot;That&#x27;s what I want to explain to people that we have made significant progress. We can see the difference now, not only in terms of how the systems work, how the government works, it is also how we are seen or judged in the international community. That&#x27;s equally important,&quot; the President told reporters in Pampanga. </p><p>&quot;I would like to show ito yung pinag-usapan natin last year. Ito na ngayon ang nagawa natin, ito pa yung kulang na gagawin namin, ito yung plano,&quot; he added. </p><p>The President, meanwhile, said he has yet to decide on what to wear. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/08/23/marcos-to-new-envoys-we-only-side-with-ph-not-us-or-china">Marcos to new envoys: We only side with PH, not US or China</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/01/23/missed-opportunity-mediocre-analysts-on-marcos-jrs-first-year">&#x27;Missed opportunity, mediocre&#x27;: Analysts on Marcos Jr.&#x27;s first year</a></li></ul><p>Political analysts and a sectoral group earlier described Marcos Jr&#x27;s first year as a &quot;missed opportunity&quot; and &quot;mediocre,&quot; noting how this could have been used to address the most pressing problems that ordinary Filipinos face today. </p><p>Akbayan President Rafaela David also lamented the appointment of controversial personality Larry Gadon as anti-poverty czar, as this reeks of patronage politics, saying poverty is still one of the biggest issues in the Philippines.</p><p>Foreign policy analysts, for their part, lauded the creation of the US-PH Bilateral Defense Guidelines, and Marcos Jr&#x27;s administration&#x27;s stronger stance on the West Philippine Sea, as this would be helpful for the Philippines in the long-run. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/29/23/incomplete-grade-as-agri-chief-marcos-agrees">&#x27;Incomplete&#x27; grade as Agri chief? Marcos agrees</a></li></ul><p>Marcos earlier agreed with the &quot;incomplete&quot; grade given to him by an analyst on his first-year performance as concurrent Secretary of Agriculture, saying much more needs to be done.</p><div><strong>POLICE PREPS</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said it was also finalizing preparations a week ahead of Marcos&#x27; second SONA.</p><p>PNP Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said simulation exercises, communication exercises, and ocular inspections were scheduled this week.</p><p>Fajardo added that authorities have not received any security threats so far in time for the annual event.</p><p>She also urged protesters to hold SONA rallies in designated freedom parks within Quezon City.</p><p>&quot;Ang designated freedom parks doon ay iyong Quezon Memorial Circle. Kung sakali mag-de-decide sila na from UP ay nagmartsa sila pero hanggang doon lang sila sa may flyover ng Luzon, that&#x27;s the farthest they can go,&quot; she said.</p><div><strong>—with a report from Raya Capulong, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><p>RELATED VIDEO</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/svBvUiuW-1g?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

'We can see the difference now, not only in terms of how the systems work, how the government works, it is also how we are seen or judged in the international community. That's equally important,' he said. 