Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sen. Imee Marcos, Oct. 16, 2018. Jonathan  Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Article (news)

Marcoses

RG Cruz

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1753675493555174306410262420181016-coc-imee-marcos-JC-2 (1).webp" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Sen. Imee Marcos, Oct. 16, 2018. Jonathan  Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</span></span></span></div><p>MANILA <strong>(3rd UPDATE) </strong>— Sen. Imee Marcos said Monday that she and Sens. Robin Padilla, Bato dela Rosa and Bong Go — members of the Duterte bloc at the Senate — will be skipping her brother President Ferdinand Marcos Jr&#x27;s 4th State of the Nation Address.</p><p>She said she plans to distribute typhoon relief instead, which she believes remains a priority after widespread flooding last week.</p><p>Marcos denied she was skipping the speech at the behest of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also not attending. She also said it has nothing to do with her rift with her brother, whose policies and decisions she has been critical of.</p><p>&quot;Hindi, nakikiisa lamang ako sa Duterte Bloc po at hindi naman talaga pupunta,&quot; she said.</p><p>(No, I am just standing with the Duterte Bloc and really not going) </p><p>Dela Rosa previously said he would skip the SONA because he did not want to pretend to be on good terms with those in attendance.</p><p>Go, in a statement, said he was seeing a doctor to check on back spasms that he has been having.</p><p>Padilla, president of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, said he was skipping the SONA in protest of former President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s detention at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands for a crimes against humanity case over the war on drugs.</p><p>Padilla said, however, that he and President Marcos Jr. both fully support legislation that recognize the culture, tradition and faith of the country&#x27;s Muslims, saying these will help make the country more inclusive and peaceful.</p><p>There is no information yet if Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, another Duterte ally, will attend the SONA.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>SIMPLE SONA</strong></div><p>She said she hopes the SONA will be toned down this year and will not include red carpet walks, elaborate ceremonies and &quot;motherhood statements&quot; that she said are not felt on the ground.</p><p>&quot;Gawa na lang tayo ng to-do list, ng lista ng gagawin sa mga susunod na taon. Simpleng-simple laman:  Ang pagkain, ito nga, ang flood control na trillion na, ang nawawala at nalunod sa baha at ang kalusugan at edukasyon ng kada Filipino.&quot;</p><p>(Let&#x27;s just make a to-do list for things to be done in the coming years. There are simple concerns: food, flood control that we have spent a trillion on, and those who died or went missing in the floods, and the health and education of each Filipino)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>MARCOS BACKS ESCUDERO AS SENATE PRESIDENT</strong></div><p>Marcos on Monday joined the Duterte bloc in voting for Sen. Francis Escudero for Senate president as Sens. Go and Dela Rosa wanted.</p><p>&quot;Yes, kasi sabi ni Bong atsaka ni Bato committed sila kay Chiz so sunud-sunuran na lang po kami.&quot;</p><p>(Yes, because Bong and Bato said they are committed to Chiz, so we just followed)</p><p>Marcos and Escudero were at loggerheads over the detention of Special Envoy Markus Lacanilao during the Marcos-led committee hearing into the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.</p><p>She said she  hopes there will be no repeat of that incident as well as of alleged anomalies in the 2025 budget.</p><p>&quot;To my mind, it&#x27;s not an allegation. It&#x27;s the truth. Kaya hindi ako pumirma ng budget 2025,&quot; she said.</p><p>Sen. Marcos acknowledged the rift with her younger brother in March due to their opposing views on Duterte&#x27;s arrest and transfer to the ICC.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/27/imee-admits-rift-with-marcos-jr-1633">Imee admits rift with Marcos Jr.</a></div><p>Since then, the senator had drifted away from the administration and has openly criticized her brother&#x27;s policies.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/29/imee-marcos-wants-ombudsman-probe-on-cabinet-officials-tagged-in-duterte-arrest-1251">Imee Marcos wants Ombudsman probe on Cabinet officials tagged in Duterte arrest</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HimeXBiA7Zk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fm1z0youm4Y?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Sen. Imee Marcos will not attend her brother Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address.</p>

Sen. Imee Marcos will not attend her brother Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address.

Imee Marcos, Duterte's Senate allies to skip SONA

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Imee Marcos, Duterte's Senate allies to skip SONA

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 28, 2025 12:07 PM PHT

|

Updated July 28, 2025 03:23 PM PHT

Read More:

Imee Marcos

Marcos

SONA

politics

ANC

ANC promo

ABSNews

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.