PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) was met with 124 rounds of applause and a single standing ovation on Monday.
The speech, which lasted one hour and 11 minutes—matching the duration of his 2023 SONA—highlighted his administration’s progress in various sectors, including agriculture, transportation, health, and sports.
Among the key points were the government’s initiative to lower rice prices to P20 per kilo, plans to address youth mental health concerns, and stern warnings against those manipulating palay prices and officials involved in alleged corruption in flood control projects.
Notably absent from Marcos’s address were discussions on the West Philippine Sea dispute, online gambling, the ban on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs), and the rumored impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte.