Filipinos are heading into President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address with a clear message that rhetoric alone will no longer suffice. A new nationwide survey suggests the public is looking less for a report card and more for evidence that government promises are translating into meaningful action.
A joint survey by EON The Stakeholder Relations Group and Tangere found that 48 percent of respondents want the President to present concrete solutions to the country’s most pressing challenges, making it the top expectation for this year’s SONA. Calls for stronger anti-corruption measures and government reform followed at 36 percent, while 35 percent want updates on commitments made in previous SONAs. Only 22 percent said they are primarily interested in hearing about the administration’s accomplishments.
The priorities mirror the pressures households continue to face. The economy and inflation topped the list of issues Filipinos want addressed, cited by 67 percent of respondents. Jobs and wages came next at 56 percent, followed by education at 53 percent, agriculture and food security at 47 percent, and healthcare at 45 percent.
The findings also point to a broader credibility challenge for the administration. Nearly half of respondents, or 49 percent, said they do not trust the government’s ability to solve the country’s problems, while 55 percent believe it does not listen to ordinary Filipinos. Another 46 percent said commitments made in previous SONAs remain unfulfilled.
The confidence gap extends beyond policy delivery. More than half, or 54 percent, said the government does not fully understand the realities facing ordinary citizens, while only 31 percent expressed confidence that the commitments expected in this year’s address will be fulfilled.
The non-commissioned survey, conducted from July 7 to 10 among 1,200 Filipino adults, suggests this year’s SONA will be judged less by the promises it contains than by whether Filipinos believe those promises will finally be kept.
