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Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., published his fourth country address (SONA) On Monday, two controversial issues facing his administration were omitted: the proposed ban Online gambling and US tariffsThe crease that threatens growth.
The president spoke in detail about economic growth, food security, energy reform and social services, but he remained silent about legislation seeking to ban or better regulate video games.
Although people’s addiction struggle against addiction in Filipino families and the increasing losses to Filipino families in separate pending bills in the Senate and House of Representatives, it is still being omitted.
Many Filipinos say Mr. Marcos is facing increasing public frustration, and his commitments made during the 2022 campaign remain unmet after three years of his term.
He ran on the economic rejuvenation platform, vowed to lower rice prices, strengthen agriculture and trigger a new wave of industrialization. But for some Filipinos, these promises have not yet translated into real improvements in daily life.
Mr. Marcos has not mentioned the 19% tariff on Filipino goods to come into effect on August 1. Critics say tariffs increase disproportionately to low-income consumers who are already trapped in inflation, a problem that remains unresolved in the government’s economic narrative.
“Our economy looks good based on the data,” the president said in a speech in the Philippines. His speech lasted for an hour and 10 minutes, citing lower inflation and higher investor confidence.
But he admits that these gains are meaningless: “If our fellow citizens struggle and bear the burden.”
“From the beginning, I stumbling around from the false premise of the economy,” Ibon Foundation executive director Jose Enrique A. Africa said in a Viber message.
“This denies slowing growth, high prices after high inflation in the first three years, deficits and debt far exceed the inaugural goal, while jobs hide increased salary and quality of work.”
He added that omitting legislative priorities is disturbing, signaling that there is no interest in growing poverty, hunger and unemployment.
George T. Barcelon, president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said failure to act online could lead to wider public safety concerns. “The government must be vigilant because usually when it comes to gambling, you will attract wrong illegal acts,” he said on the phone.
“SONA is a direct response to the medium term,” Ederson DT. Tapia, a professor of political science at the University of Makati, said in a Facebook Messenger chat. “Most of the issues covered are those that are at least important, lost and last. He avoids topics that may be divided.”
The President reiterated his commitment to job creation, small business support and agriculture. He said the government proved that rice could be sold at P20 per kilogram without harming farmers, citing limited launches in some areas.
He vowed to expand the program nationwide with more so-called Kadiwa stores.
Despite the optimistic tone, some analysts found urgency to lack speech. No more aggressive measures were mentioned to protect consumers from price shocks caused by tariffs.
“We praise the president’s campaign commitment,” said Jayson H. Cainglet, executive director of Samahhan Industrial Agrikultura, in a Viber message.
“It’s not just lip service”
He accused “self-caused disaster of Executive Order No. 62” of reducing import tariffs to 15%, the main culprit For unprecedented drops in rice Rural Gate price, pointing out the cost of falling Rice imports are now only P23 to P25/kg.
Mr Cainglet said the government should raise the rough rice procurement budget to P55 billion and quickly provide cash incentives to rice farmers with excess P4 billion under last year’s Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
“I hope it’s not just a lip service,” he told him. BusinessWorld By phone.
But he hopes the president will say something to the outlet. “Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s there. I’m not sure if he is Anything mentioned about the tariffs. ”
Mr. Marcos also touts the benefits of renewable energy, education, digitalization and healthcare. He announced efforts to expand electrification, free dialysis therapy and digital learning tools for public school teachers and students.
“His speech didn’t have that ‘wow’ moment compared to last year, and he would surprise or awe the crowd,” said Arjan P. Aguirre, assistant professor of political science at the Ateneo de Manila University, via Messenger Chat. “There is no pressing problem for a strong day.”
He added: “The closest we can emphasize here is the reference to the flood control project, which is still unconvincing because everything is still up to him – there is no mention of institutionalized changes such as mechanisms and safeguards in the process itself.”
In his speech, the President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to investigate the flood control project that failed during the recent storm, calling for warnings about widespread corruption in infrastructure spending and criminal charges of convicted persons.
He cited his recent inspections following the southwestern monsoon and violent attacks by tropical cyclones, Dante and Emong, which exposed the collapse and dysfunction of the national flood mitigation system.
“I have witnessed first-hand the construction of many flood control projects, collapsed or worse – never even existed,” the president said in the Philippines. “Let’s stop pretending. The public knows There are rackets in these items. ”
Mr. Marcos accused unnamed officials and contractors of raising public funds through “rebate, initiative, errata, SOP (Standard Operating Procedures)” and called on them for lack of shame.
“You should be ashamed of yourself in front of fellow Filipinos…especially what you do with families whose houses are swept or flooded,” he said. “You should be ashamed of bringing debt to our children, which is the money you stole.”
To address this, he said the DPWH must immediately submit a list of all flood control projects initiated or completed in all regions over the past three years.
Second, the Regional Project Monitoring Committee will review the list to identify incomplete, unqualified or ghost projects.
“We will post this list,” Mr. Marcos said. “As witnesses to these projects, the public will be free to review them and share what they know to help investigate.”
He added that the investigation will be accompanied by audits and performance reviews to track how public funds are used. “In the next few months, everyone convicted along with the contractor’s accomplices in the investigation and will face charges.”
“People should know the whole truth. They must be held responsible for damage and corruption,” he said.
In a further warning to lawmakers, Mr. Marcos announced that he would not approve any national budget that deviates from the government’s national spending plan in 2026.
“I will refund any proposed general appropriations bill that is completely inconsistent with the state spending plan,” he said. “I am willing to do so even if we end up with a repeat of the budget.”
He added: “I will not approve any budget that is inconsistent with the government’s plan for the people of the Philippines.”
Leonardo A, professor of economics at Ateneo de Manila University.
“It’s a contradiction,” he said in a Messenger chat. “Nothing has been achieved, and the president has promised to bribe us with our candy to gain our recognition and to spread our problems, including the high tariffs we face.”
The president’s remarks mark one of the strongest condemnations of government corruption so far, suggesting a tougher stance taken ahead of the 2026 budget season.
However, no statement on pressing regulatory issues raises questions about government priorities. Analysts and lawmakers have been concerned with the president’s face these issues or continue to avoid them for the rest of his term.
Mr. Barcelone said the president’s response to the solution to INEF is commendablefICIENCIES in public works spending and welcomed his remarks on health care, education and support for farmers, calling them “everything is good.”
But the government’s “very high” debt is worrying, he said on the phone. “This can only be solved if our economy is fast from 5-6% to 7-8%.
He warned that without faster growth, the country’s debt burden rose, which, as of May, had a P16.92 trillion P16.92 trillion, could derail the president’s social commitments.
“This huge debt problem will continue. It could make all his promises to free education, free and healthy people – everything is almost free – very challenging.”
Mr. Barcelon also said in surprise that Mr. Marcos did not mention the U.S. trade policy, saying it was a missed opportunity to clarify the directions of the Philippines’ most important economic partnership.
He described the overall tone of the speech as “inspiring conversations for the people to hear” and reiterated that the private sector remains committed to supporting the government. – and Chloe Mari A. Hufana, Justine Irish D. Tabile, Kenneth Christiane L. Basilio and Adrian H. Halili
