What Marcos Left Out in His Fifth SONA, According to Analysts

Philippine President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr.'s fifth address to Congress on July 27 saw compelling demands and promises that even included a commitment to launch a rocket ship from Cagayan, which will be the country's first spaceport.

Marcos also demanded that Congress amend the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 to halt utilities from passing system loss charges (plus value-added tax on those charges) onto consumers.

"It is not the fault of consumers why there are system losses," the President delivered in Filipino with an escalating "we request, no, we demand" line," which drew a standing ovation.

The speech, which lasted about an hour and 20 minutes, also saw the President floating nuclear energy as a real option for energy security and the divisive Pax Silica agreement with the US, which is set for finalization this November.

The agreement is framed as an AI-cored opportunity to create high-paying jobs in massive semiconductor factories tied to the Luzon Economic Corridor.

On the economic side, Marcos also asked Congress to expand the income tax exemption to cover workers earning up to P350,000 a year, paired with lower rates above that bracket; the removal of the minimum corporate income tax for small businesses; and a comprehensive tax amnesty covering unpaid income, state, and donor taxes inclusive of VAT penalties.

There was also a call to amend the National Building Code and to modernize the 25-year-old Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and a law to make rooftop solar panels and battery storage systems more accessible to households.

Marcos tied the fiscal room for all these plans to savings from the government's ramped-up anti-corruption campaign at the Department of Public Works and Highways.

So what things could Marcos have fleshed out more in his fifth SONA?

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For Ateneo de Manila University economics professor Leonardo Lanzona, nothing in the address links the personal income tax threshold hike, MSME minimum corporate income tax removal, tax amnesty, or systems-loss VAT removal to an "offsetting revenue measure."

"Every SONA that promises new public goods, tax relief, subsidies, infrastructure, or expanded services carries an implicit obligation to account for how those goods will be paid for, not just what they will deliver," he said in a Facebook Messenger chat. "This reads less like a funded package and more like relief financed by default through additional borrowing."

Marcos had pushed for the "Sariling Kuryente" Act to ease the access to battery storage and solar power amid the surging prices of power and steep electricity bills that have gone viral online.

The economist describes the speech as having "substituted granular, disbursement-level accounting, pesos released, classrooms built, and titles distributed for aggregate fiscal exposure."

He also cited the need for a specific buffer that can compensate for losses due to corruption.

Michael Henry Yusingco, constitutionalist and senior research fellow, Ateneo Policy Center, said there was a lack of a concrete, actionable plan to institutionalize food security beyond 2028 and verbalized infrastructure plans for a more comprehensive public transportation system.

"Unclear if we're ever going to have a coherent and comprehensive public transport system. Regarding EVs [electric vehicles], where is the infrastructure support like recharging stations?" he told Esquire Philippines.

The President had reaffirmed the PUV Modernization Program and an implementation that is "humane, affordable, and just," as it has drawn continuous pushback from jeepney drivers and operators over compliance costs.

He also reiterated the government's target of half the country's vehicle fleet going electric by 2040 as investment in local EV assembly continues to rise.

Yusingco did commend the President for his comments about his cousin and former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who has been reportedly trying to flee the country and his ties to the multi-billion-peso flood control scheme.

"Mentioning the former Speaker is crucial to signify the seriousness and extent of the anti-corruption drive," the lawyer noted. "For the President to solidify his anti-corruption legacy, he must leave behind institutional transparency in the executive branch," not just "a token FOI [Freedom of Information] regulation like what we currently have."

The analyst also floated the idea of crafting a national AI plan and nuclear energy roadmap if the government intends to think long-term.

"There is also merit in his stances on the West Philippine Sea, which reflect the consensus of the security and media sectors on engaging with China," Ateneo de Manila political science instructor Hansley Juliano said.

Against the backdrop of tensions between China and the Philippines and the 10-year anniversary of the UN-backed Arbitral Award that voided Beijing's sweeping claim on the South China Sea, Marcos honored the Armed Forces and Coast Guard for facing great risks in the waterway and declared that Filipinos would continue to uphold Manila's legal claim over the disputed sea.

“Let me remind our friends and our detractors: Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars," the President said, alluding to a depiction by Chinese state media of Filipinos as monkeys criticizing the 2016 UN-backed ruling.

"We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield."

This also comes after a Philippine Navy officer stationed on the World War II-era BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal was struck in the head by a Chinese coast guard officer.

"I was hoping for at least a comment or mandates that would further address the vulnerabilities of working populations, both in formal and informal sectors, so relevant issues like contractualization, wage adjustments, and social security," Juliano said, commenting on what the Marcos could have elaborated on.

The President also announced that the 12 stations of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 would open by next year and that he would continue directing funds to education, healthcare, food security, and infrastructure thanks to the savings from anti-corruption efforts.

"Beyond these, however, most of the SONA is a retread of policy packages and approaches that throw back to the Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino presidencies," the political pundit said.

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