July 27, 2026
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fifth State of the Nation Address, or SONA, on July 27, 2026. It was his report on what his administration says it has accomplished, the problems the country still faces, and what it plans to do next.
This is not a complete list of everything mentioned in the SONA. It is a short summary of the major points.
• Lower income taxes: BBM wants workers earning up to ₱350,000 a year to pay no income tax, up from the current ₱250,000 limit. He also proposed lower taxes for other workers. Congress must first change the law before this can happen.
• Help for small businesses: BBM proposed removing the minimum corporate income tax for qualified small businesses, so they can keep more of their earnings.
• Tax amnesty: BBM proposed giving people and businesses another chance to settle certain unpaid taxes with lower penalties. These include income, estate, donor’s, and value-added taxes.
• Lower electricity bills: BBM wants consumers to stop paying for electricity lost before it reaches homes and businesses, known as “systems loss.” He also wants the VAT charged on that lost electricity removed. This requires a change in the law.
• High fuel prices: BBM discussed the effects of higher oil prices caused by conflict in the Middle East and the assistance being given to drivers, commuters, workers, and businesses affected by rising fuel costs.
• Food and agriculture: BBM discussed increasing food production and giving farmers and fishers more support, including irrigation, machinery, storage facilities, and technology.
• Land for farmers: More than 400,000 land titles have been distributed through the government’s land program for farmers, according to BBM. He said the government aims to complete the cancellation of remaining qualified agrarian reform debts this year.
• Water: BBM highlighted new dams, reservoirs, and irrigation systems aimed at providing a more reliable water supply for homes and farms throughout the year.
• Jobs: Government employment and livelihood programs will continue. BBM reported that more than 100,000 people worked under programs such as TUPAD and DILEEP, while more than 6,000 were hired on the spot during Labor Day job fairs.
• Investments and trade: BBM said the government helped bring in or move forward more than ₱6 trillion worth of investments over the past three years. These projects are expected to create more than 400,000 jobs. He also said the Philippines now has 23 free-trade agreements that are either already in effect or being negotiated.
• Technology and Pax Silica: Pax Silica is a partnership of countries working together to make sure important technology parts and materials remain available without relying too heavily on a single country. It focuses on semiconductors, AI, and other advanced technologies. BBM highlighted a planned Pax Silica industrial hub in New Clark City, which he said could bring more technology investments and jobs to the Philippines.
• OFWs: BBM said nearly 7 million overseas Filipino workers now have insurance. He also said the Philippines has secured more employment agreements with other countries and a higher minimum wage for Filipino domestic workers abroad.
• Social assistance: BBM said government aid for poor and vulnerable Filipinos will continue, including cash, food, and livelihood assistance. He said more than ₱60 billion has been set aside to continue assistance until the end of the year.
• SSS and pensions: BBM said the scheduled 10% SSS pension increase was moved earlier to June instead of September. He also said around 44 million Filipinos are now covered by SSS.
• Healthcare: BBM highlighted Zero Balance Billing in government hospitals, which means qualified patients should leave without a hospital bill to pay. He also reported expanded PhilHealth benefits for checkups, medicines, and other healthcare needs.
• Housing: BBM said more than 500,000 homes have been built or financed through government housing programs, with more than 100,000 of them built or financed in the past year. The maximum Pag-IBIG housing loan has also been raised to ₱10 million.
• Education: BBM said education remains a top government priority. He reported that more than 80,000 teachers and school heads have been promoted and more than 30,000 new teaching positions have been created.
• More classrooms: More than 16,000 classrooms will first be built in Luzon with help from private companies to reduce the classroom shortage, according to BBM. Similar projects are planned for the Visayas and Mindanao.
• School feeding: The expanded school feeding program is expected to provide meals to more than 4.5 million Kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils, along with other students at risk of poor nutrition.
• School security and protecting students: After the deadly school shooting in Tacloban, BBM said the police and DepEd are strengthening security in schools nationwide. He also discussed bullying and harmful online content and said 10,000 School Counselor Associates would be assigned to help students.
• Transportation: BBM discussed expanding railways, buses, and other public transportation to make travel easier and reduce the country’s dependence on expensive imported fuel.
• Major infrastructure: BBM gave updates on roads, expressways, bridges, and other major projects around the country. He also called for an updated National Building Code so buildings can better withstand earthquakes, typhoons, and other disasters.
• Energy supply: BBM highlighted additional natural gas from the Malampaya project and said the Philippines should seriously consider nuclear power as another source of electricity.
• Disaster preparation: BBM said the government wants to prepare better before disasters happen instead of mainly responding afterward. Stronger permanent evacuation centers under the Ligtas Pinoy program are already being built in disaster-prone areas.
• Garbage and waste: BBM called for an update to the country’s 25-year-old waste management law. He said the Philippines needs better ways to deal with garbage, including newer technology, better government policies, and more responsible waste disposal.
• Flood control corruption: BBM said the government will continue pursuing cases involving corrupt flood control projects. He reported that nearly ₱25 billion in public funds and assets connected to the cases have been recovered or frozen, with more than ₱800 million already returned to the National Treasury.
• West Philippine Sea: BBM said the Philippines will continue defending its rights in the West Philippine Sea through peaceful and legal means. He reaffirmed the 2016 international ruling that found no legal basis for China’s sweeping historic claims over much of the South China Sea.
• ASEAN: BBM discussed the Philippines’ role as ASEAN chair in 2026. ASEAN is a group of Southeast Asian countries that work together on economic, security, and regional issues. He said cooperation with neighboring countries is important as the world faces conflicts and economic uncertainty.
• Peace in Mindanao: BBM discussed continuing peace efforts and preparations for the first regular parliamentary elections in BARMM, the self-governing Bangsamoro region in Mindanao.
Not mentioned: BBM did not discuss the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte in his SONA, even though it was one of the country’s biggest political issues at the time.
A SONA tells us not only where the country has been, but where the President says he wants it to go. The next question is whether those plans will actually make it from the speech to everyday Filipino life.
BTW: I’m a musician, not a journalist. 😉
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ
