Geline Salac

VP Duterte calls Marcos' SONA a 'waste of time', cites broken vows

Article (news)

Bea Cuadra

ABS-CBN News

<div><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/GKCAlChqcUM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Vice President Sara Duterte did not hold back in her criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling the annual address a “waste of time” and accusing the administration of failing to deliver on key pledges.</p><p>Speaking in an interview from The Hague on July 27, Duterte revealed that she opted not to watch or read the President&#x27;s address.</p><p>&quot;Hindi ako nanonood ng SONA like last year and wala akong plano basahin ang nilalaman ng SONA o kahit man lang summary dahil I truly believe it is a waste of time of the Filipino people,&quot; Duterte said.</p><div><strong>FLOOD CONTROL SCANDAL AND UNMET PLEDGES</strong></div><p>Addressing questions regarding President Marcos’s previous statements on anti-corruption efforts and flood control projects, the Vice President dismissed his remarks as public relations maneuvers designed to deflect accountability.</p><p>&quot;Wala naman siya napakulong sa flood control scandal eh. At saka, yung sinabi niya na ‘mahiya naman kayo,’ it was a PR stunt na tinali nila yung linya na yun, sa speech niya, na nag-backfire,&quot; she said.</p><p>Duterte said the administration cannot distance itself from issues surrounding infrastructure spending, pointing out that the President authorizes the national budget.</p><p>&quot;Dahil ang katotohanan naman kasi talaga, ghost projects yung flood control, kung hindi man unfinished or substandard project. So, sinasabi niya na lang yan ngayon, na parang ako yung nagsabi ng mahihiya naman kayo, para mailayo niya yung sarili niya doon sa flood control scandal. Unfortunately, hindi niya pwedeng gawin na ilayo niya yung sarili niya doon sa corruption sa flood control scandal. Kasi siya yung pumirma ng budget,&quot; she said.</p><p>She further argued that signing off on a budget containing irregularities constitutes a serious breach. &quot;Yan yung inuulit-ulit ko na… Doon sa pag-file ng impeachment case sa kanya, doon yung impeachable offense doon. Nagpumirma ka ng budget, na alam mo madaming insertions. Na alam mo, yung NEP mo, hindi na siya yung lumabas na GAA. At kahit pa man na nakikita mo na mayroong anomalya doon, pinirmahan mo pa rin yung budget,&quot; she added.</p><p>Skeptical of claims that officials involved in flood control corruption would face prosecution, Duterte questioned the timeline of promised arrests, comparing them to past unfulfilled economic commitments.</p><p>&quot;Di ba yan din yung sinabi niya last year, bago mag-December, may makukulong na. So meron bang makulong bago mag-Christmas? So huwag niyo na i-expect na makulong. So huwag niyo na i-expect na makulong yang... dating speaker o mga members ng House of Representatives,&quot; Duterte said. &quot;Balik na lang tayo sa 20 pesos ang bigas. Diba?&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/7/27/marcos-says-multiple-charges-vs-romualdez-to-be-filed-soon-1621">&#x27;Hindi ako pangulo ng aking pamilya&#x27;: Marcos says multiple charges vs Romualdez to be filed soon</a></div><p>She said some of the broken promises include personal agreements made prior to their political partnership.</p><p>&quot;Dalawa lang ang hiningi ko eh, nung pumayag ako na tumakbong ka-tandem niya bilang kanyang vice president,&quot; Duterte said, noting that one request was a personal agreement regarding her family that Marcos failed to honor early in their term.</p><p>&quot;Sige, sabihin na natin na personal &#x27;yan eh... Pwede naman hindi tuparin &#x27;yan,&quot; she added. &quot;Doon tayo sa [PHP] 20 ang bigas. Tinupad ba, hindi? May makukulong before Christmas. Tinupad ba, hindi? So, bakit pa kayo naniniwala at nanonood ng SONA?&quot;</p><p>The Vice President argued that the public has little reason to trust the annual state of the nation address when key political, economic, and governance pledges remain unfulfilled.</p><div><br/></div><div><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/N22YFoQTdvE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Vice President Sara Duterte did not hold back in her criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling the annual address a “waste of time” and accusing the administration of failing to deliver on key pledges.</p>

Vice President Sara Duterte did not hold back in her criticism of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA), calling the annual address a “waste of time” and accusing the administration of failing to deliver on key pledges.