LIVE UPDATES | PRESIDENT BONGBONG MARCOS STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS 2026

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is delivering his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City today, July 27.

Entering the final two years of his six-year term, Marcos is expected to present his administration's accomplishments, lay out its priorities for the remainder of his presidency, and address key issues facing the country, including corruption, rising food prices, inflation, employment, and other concerns raised by Filipinos ahead of this year's SONA. SEE THE COMMUNICATOR’S X/TWITTER MASTER THREAD HERE:

JUSTICE

President Marcos Jr. opened his #SONA2026 with the flood control scandal, announcing that the Office of the Ombudsman would file complaints against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez.

Romualdez, the President's cousin, has been linked to alleged corruption involving flood control infrastructure projects.

"Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, mga kapuwa ko Pilipino,”

Marcos said, stressing that his administration's anti-corruption efforts would apply regardless of personal ties.

| via Brylle Varela/@brylle_dakom

SOCIAL SERVICES

Tagumpay para kay Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang patuloy na paggulong ng 800 Kadiwa Stores sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa sa ilalim ng programang ‘Benteng Bigas Meron Na’.

Ayon sa Pangulo, humigit-kumulang 12 milyong Pilipino ang benepisyaryo ng naturang programa. Aniya, direktang nakakapagbenta ang mga mangingisda at magsasaka sa mga Kadiwa Store.

Dagdag dito, nakapag-abot daw ng tulong ang pamahalaan sa halos dalawang milyong magsasaka at mangingisda bunsod ng pagsirit ng presyo ng langis at petrolyo sa mga nakaraang buwan dulot ng giyera ng US-Israel laban sa Iran.

| via JL Estrella Pablico/@JL_dakom

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. encouraged Filipinos to utilize the insurance benefits provided by state-run insurance programs, the Social Security System (SSS) and PAG-IBIG Fund.

"Bilang dagdag tulong naman sa mga pensyonado ng SSS, pinaaga natin ang 10% pagtaas ng kanilang pensyon simula Hunyo, na dapat sana ay nakatakda pa sa Setyembre. Mula noong nagsimula ang administrasyon, humigit-kumulang 44 milyong Pilipino na ang protektado ng SSS.

Mahigit 80,000 sa kanila ay mga tsuper, mga tindero, tindera, gig worker, mga job order (JO), at contract of service (COS), at iba pang mga nasa impormal na sektor."

He also mentioned that the government aims for more Filipinos—particularly those in the informal sector and self-employed individuals—to become members of the SSS and the PAG-IBIG Fund, emphasizing the security these programs offer.

| via Henry Ramirez/@henry_dakom

ENERGY

During his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is monitoring 200 energy projects that are expected to be completed by the end of his administration. These projects have a combined capacity of nearly 10,000 megawatts (MW), which he said would strengthen the country's power supply. Of the total, 45 projects have already been completed, 31 are scheduled for completion this year, and 124 more are expected to be operational by 2028. Marcos added that energy storage system projects with a total capacity of more than 1,700 MW are also being developed to store electricity and improve grid reliability. The President also said the extension of the Malampaya service contract until 2039 allowed drilling operations to resume for the first time in eight years, encouraging renewed investment in oil and gas exploration. Marcos likewise called for the country to revisit nuclear energy production, saying it has the potential to strengthen energy security and bring down electricity prices. On electricity pricing, Marcos also expressed support for the immediate amendment of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) to prohibit the charging of systems loss to consumers, including the value-added tax (VAT) imposed on those charges. "Hindi naman kasalanan ng konsyumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng systems loss. We demand for the immediate amendment of the EPIRA, and to prohibit charging systems loss against consumers, including the value-added tax thereof," Marcos said. The President said the proposed reforms form part of the administration's broader effort to ensure more affordable, reliable, and secure energy for Filipino households and businesses. | via Jannine Lagbawan/@lgbwnja_dakom

AGRICULTURE

In four years, more than 4,000 land titles were given to Filipino farmers, which provided almost 500,000 land hectares. The land title distribution is supposed to end in 2027, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. says. Moreover, the administration promises to plant the remaining 82 million coconut trees, achieving a hundred million before his term ends in 2028. President Marcos claims that this boosts the coconut industry of the Philippines for the next couple of decades. He added that his government is keen on supporting the agriculture industry through the provision of 145 rice processing systems, three cold storage facilities, and approximately 4,000 agricultural machineries. Furthermore, he shares that the Department of Agriculture (DA) ensures that farmers are equipped to combat the prevailing crop dilemmas and pests that threaten the livelihood of Filipino farmers. He also emphasizes the salvaged 19 billion pesos in damages from the past four years through crop insurance, which he claims that the support is not limited to crops but is also extended to materials, transportation, farmers’ health, and livestock, among many others. | via John Lloyd Estrella Pablico/@JL_dakom

ECONOMICS

Nanawagan si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sa Kongreso na agad ipasa ang mga panukalang tax relief upang maibsan ang pasanin ng mga middle-class na manggagawa at maliliit na negosyo na labis na apektado ng patuloy na krisis sa ekonomiya. Ayon sa Pangulo, layunin ng mga naturang hakbang na isulong ang paglago ng ekonomiya at tiyakin ang socio-economic sustainability. Kabilang sa mga pangunahing probisyong isinusulong ng Palasyo ang pagpapalawak sa income tax exemption para sa mga empleyado, ang pag-aalis ng minimum corporate income tax para sa mga micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) at ang pagpapatupad ng tax amnesty para sa mga negosyong may hindi pa nababayarang buwis. | ulat ni John David Parol

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𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗢𝗦 𝗝𝗥. : 𝗣𝗔𝗫 𝗦𝗜𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗭𝗘 𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗠𝗬 Inihayag ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na makatutulong umano ang Pax Silica Initiative upang maipanumbalik ang sigla ng ekonomiya ng bansa sa pamamagitan ng paglikha ng mga de-kalidad na trabaho at pagpapalakas ng industrial competitiveness ng Pilipinas. ​ “A product of the 23-member strong and US-led Pax Silica Initiative, the Pax Silica Industrial Hub will create an ecosystem that will have AI at its core,” pahayag ni Marcos Jr. ​ “It will bring quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalize our economy,” dagdag pa ng Pangulo. | via John David Parol

SPORTS

Marcos encouraged Filipinos to play sports for health care, not just for entertainment. "Mahalaga rin ang ating Sports, itinaas natin ng triple ang suporta natin dito, hindi lamang dahil sa aliw na hatid nito, kundi para sa kalusugan. Sa nag-uumapaw nating suporta kay Alex Eala, sana ay marami ang ma-enganyo para matuto at maglaro [ng sports] hindi lamang ng Tennis kundi ng ibang sports pa." Sa halimbawa ng Pilipinas Football Team, sana rin ay mas sumikat pa ang football sa ating bansa at maraming maglaro [at] balang-araw, baka makasali na ang Pilipinas sa World Cup." | via Henry Ramirez/@henry_dakom

HEALTHCARE

President Marcos Jr., in his #SONA2026, emphasized the implementation of Universal Health Care, highlighting PhilHealth's Yaman ng Kalusugan Program (YAKAP). The YAKAP program is a national primary care initiative that provides free medical consultations, outpatient laboratory tests, cancer screenings, and essential maintenance medicines. In his speech, Marcos said the program has reached 4.5 million Filipino beneficiaries out of the 25 million individuals registered under YAKAP. He also highlighted the removal of the value-added tax (VAT) on more than 2,000 medicines, including those for cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and mental health conditions. Meanwhile, Marcos announced that guarantee letters (GLs) are no longer needed. "Wala na ring GL-GL, kaya hindi na kailangang pumila o magmakaawa pa sa sinumang pulitiko." He said medical assistance under the e-MAIFIP (Medical Assistance to Indigent and Financially Incapacitated Patients) system is now accessible online through the eGovPH app in DOH hospitals, with only two requirements. | | via Brylle Varela/@brylle_dakom

INFRASTRUCTURE

President Marcos Jr. recognized the success and soon-to-be completion of several railway projects, bus lanes, transport hubs, and integrated terminals throughout the country to alleviate the worsening traffic for motorists, public transport, and commuters.

“Ito ay upang mas malawak at malayo ang naaabot, tumaas ang kapasidad, at maging moderno at mas maginhawa ang serbisyo,” he said.

In the coming years, the trains of North-South Commuter Railway are set to go from Valenzuela to Malolos. Marcos promised that before his administration ends, DOTr will ensure that the railway will reach Clark, Pampanga. Twelve stations of MRT 7 are also set to open next year, from North Avenue to Sacred Heart, Quezon City. In addition, Marcos mentioned the recently enacted accelerated and reformed Right of Way Act, which resolves right of way issues, which, according to Marcos, is a “biggest chokepoint in our mass transit development programs.” In line with the construction of evacuation centers in the country, Marcos introduced the Ligtas Pinoy Centers in areas often affected by natural calamities. Marcos ensured that these are designed to withstand super typhoons and extreme earthquakes. Marcos ended with the call to amend the National Building Code to abide by the modern standards.

| via Mary Joy Laurel/@mary_dakom

EDUCATION

President Marcos Jr. prides the 140 universities and colleges included in the World University Rankings. Half of these are state universities and colleges (SUCs), including the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP). SUCs in the Philippines continue to place in global rankings despite facing budget deficits, as well as substandard learning environments and facilities. To recall, PUP is known to receive budget cuts every year, with the previous proposed budget of P12.7 billion but ultimately receiving only around P3.5 billion under the General Appropriations Act. In addition, to encourage students to finish college, Marcos highlighted the Presidential Scholarship, which allots P100,000 to cover five students in every barangay across the country. He also lobbied for the reskilling and upskilling of Filipino laborers with the Tech-Voc and TVET programs, which provide practical learning that gives individuals hands-on skills for specific jobs like carpentry, welding, or computer repair. These programs give National Certificates to their graduates, which can be used as certifications to become a professional or as a foundation for a college diploma. | via Mary Joy Laurel/@mary_dakom