Ched Rick Gatchalian

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, 2025. Screenshot from RTVM Live

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Lawmakers, groups split on Marcos' 4th SONA

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/175370388019820250728-marcos-sona-screenshots--14 1.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, 2025. <em>Screenshot from RTVM Live</em></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED)</strong> — Several lawmakers and groups have mixed reactions to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s pronouncements during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.</p><p>In a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/BenignoBamAquino/videos/2103560463502933">Facebook video post</a>, Senator Bam Aquino said he is glad that education is among the Marcos administration&#x27;s priorities for the next three years.</p><p>He vowed to monitor and make sure that promised reforms will materialize.</p><p>&quot;Iyong napangako sa classroom, connectivity, tulong sa mga guro natin, iisa-isahin natin iyan. Sisiguraduhin nating naipatupad, and we’ll make sure na magtutulungan iyong Senado at ang gobyerno para sa kapakanan ng ating mga estudyante,&quot; Aquino stressed.</p><p>Marcos said his administration has opened 22,000 classrooms and will provide 40,000 more before his term ends.</p><p>He also promised 66,000 new teaching items, overtime pay, and expansion of free Wi-Fi access across the country that could be beneficial to schools.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/marcos-jr-says-laptops-for-teachers-other-school-gadgets-arriving-soon-1714">Marcos Jr. says laptops for teachers, other school gadgets arriving soon</a></div><p>&quot;Bilang chairperson ng Committee on Education sa Senado, sisiguraduhin natin na iyong mga repormang ito, masasagawa at babantayan natin ang mga pangakong ito,&quot; Aquino said.</p><p>The senator also welcomed the President&#x27;s call to investigate possible corruption in flood control projects, saying it is important to see how and where the funds were spent.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/28/-mahiya-naman-kayo-marcos-order-probe-on-corruption-in-flood-control-projects-1725">&#x27;Mahiya naman kayo&#x27;: Marcos orders probe on possible corruption in flood control projects</a></div><p>Sen. Panfilo &quot;Ping&quot; M. Lacson echoed similar sentiment, saying he was impressed by Marcos&#x27; bold statements especially regarding flood control programs.</p><p>&quot;My favorite quote from the President’s 4th State of the Nation Address: MAHIYA NAMAN KAYO!&quot; Lacson said in a release.</p><p>He said he clapped the loudest when Marcos vowed to go after those behind the questionable effectiveness of the country’s flood control systems.</p><p>&quot;I clapped even louder when the President announced that he will return the 2026 budget bill passed by Congress not aligned with the National Expenditure Program. That would make my scrutiny of the General  Appropriations Bill easier with less insertions and realignments,&quot; Lacson added.</p><p>Manila 3rd District Rep. Joel Chua lauded what he called “accountability, anti-corruption SONA” of the President, which discussed country’s problems on water, electricity, and public works projects.</p><p>“I support the President’s push for accountability in electric power distribution and water services delivery, whether in Metro Manila or in the provinces. We started investigating this in the 19th Congress and we will continue our accountability mission,” he said in a statement.</p><p>Marcos earlier said the power crisis that happened in Siquijor should not be repeated. He stressed the government is working to build a facility that could provide a long term solution to the country’s problem in electricity.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/7/28/-areglado-na-marcos-touts-zero-billing-for-basic-accommodation-in-doh-hospitals-1753">&#x27;Areglado na&#x27;: Marcos touts &#x27;zero billing&#x27; for basic accommodation in DOH hospitals</a></div><p>The President also said those behind poor water service will be held accountable.</p><div><strong>‘WE ARE FILLED WITH HOPE’ </strong></div><p>The Senior Citizens Party-list, meanwhile, felt overjoyed with Marcos’ announcement that the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) will now cover the cost of weekly sessions of dialysis.</p><p>The party-list group said said they are “filled with hope” that they can still see the country’s future, as seniors citizens yearn to “live long enough to see the dawn of a new Philippines.&quot;</p><p>Marcos earlier explained that Filipinos can benefit from the PhilHealth’s expanded benefit package, which would cover free services for various heart conditions, eyesight check-up and treatment for children, rehabilitation and therapy sessions for persons with disabilities (PWD), and other emergency situations.</p><p>The Senior Citizen Party-list also commended the government’s efforts to have 300 more Early Childhood Care and Development (EECD) centers, Bulilit Centers, and day care centers.</p><p>“We will support the items for these in the national budget,” the group said.</p><div><strong>NO MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS?</strong></div><p>Progressive groups and party-lists hit both Marcos’ supposed empty promises and absence of statements on some urgent issues.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/11/24/23/marcos-philippine-return-to-icc-under-study">Marcos says Philippine return to ICC &#x27;under study&#x27;</a></div><p>Kabataan Party-list posted a meme on Facebook, where Marcos could be seen watching the television as the screen shows &quot;his accomplishments in the past years.&quot; The screen flashed a screenshot of Vice President Sara Duterte&#x27;s &quot;meltdown video&quot; where she uttered a supposed kill plot against Marcos, First Lady Liza Marcos, and Speaker Martin Romualdez.</p><p>&quot;Tama na ang mga hungkag na pangako, panahon na ng pananagutan. Tuloy ang laban!&quot; Kabataan said.</p><p>While Akbayan Party welcomes the President’s strong position on flood projects, poor water service and need for more transparent budget, it said the SONA fell short to address people’s demand for salary increase, rejoining the International Criminal Court (ICC), defending the West Philippines Sea, and handling online gambling complaints.</p><p>“Binaha lang tayo ng checklist, pero tuyot na tuyot sa tunay na pangangailangan ng pamayanan,” the party said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2025/7/1/-wage-hike-bills-filed-anew-in-20th-congress-1935">Wage hike bills filed anew in 20th Congress</a></div><p>It argued that Marcos had no major accomplishments for the past three years.</p><p>Partido Manggagawa also criticized the lack of President’s pronouncements regarding contractualization, job security, and inflation.</p><p>“Keep on pressing for a legislated wage hike of P200 as well as the passage of the security of tenure bill, but to no avail. Katulad sa baha at bagyo, kailangan ang Presidente sa pagharap sa krisis na ito,” the group said.</p><p>The party pointed out that while Marcos acknowledged energy and water supply problems, he “failed to confront root causes” which it said was long-standing failures of privatization.</p><p>Gender avocacy group EnGendeRights meanwhile noticed that Marcos did not address the harassment, hate crimes, and bullying cases faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.</p><p>Atty. Clara Rita Padilla, the Executive Director of EnGendeRights, said Marcos did not tackle any of the crucial bills for women and LGBTQIA+ members, such as the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Bill, SOGIESC Equality Bill, Divorce, Civil Union/Marriage Equality, Legal Gender Recognition, Amendment of the Anti-Rape Law, Decriminalization of Abortion, and Adolescent Pregnancy Bill.</p><p>“The passage of these laws will pave the way towards ending discrimination based on SOGIESC and gender, address effective prosecution of gender-based violence and access to reproductive information and services including adolescent access to contraceptives and access to safe and legal abortion,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></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/LaOCAHRIQ1w?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>“Binaha lang tayo ng checklist, pero tuyot na tuyot sa tunay na pangangailangan ng pamayanan,” the Akbayan Party said.</p>

“Binaha lang tayo ng checklist, pero tuyot na tuyot sa tunay na pangangailangan ng pamayanan,” the Akbayan Party said.

Lawmakers, groups split on Marcos' 2025 SONA

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Lawmakers, groups split on Marcos' 2025 SONA

Ched Rick Gatchalian,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 28, 2025 08:02 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 28, 2025 09:15 PM PHT

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ANC Promo

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

SONA

State of the Nation Address

Bam Aquino

Joel Chua

Senior Citizen Party-list

Kabataan Party-list

Akbayan Party

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