Following the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) by Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., experts have highlighted his ‘political grandstanding’ scheme to motivate support instead of addressing the main issues clearly and offering long-term solutions.

As a follow-up to their pre-SONA briefing, Publicus Asia Inc. invited experts from various sectors to dissect the president’s yearly national address and compare them to his previous speeches. 

“It’s more on promises, na parang ano, estudyanteng nagbubulakbol, tapos when time na examination na, you have to say good things just to get on with the homework,” Business and Legal Specialist Ernesto Abines Jr. stated.

Abines specified points in PBBM’s speech that nod to his ‘more like a promise’ comment, such as his addressing of the irrigation problem experienced by farmers throughout the country, in which he merely assured the public that he would make this a reality.

Similarly, in a pre-post SONA analysis by the Samahan ng mga Mag-aaral ng Agham Pampulitika ng Ateneo (SAMAPULA), Ateneo Public Interest and Legal Advocacies (APILA) Director Atty. Romeo Cabarde Jr. called out the president for his ‘bare minimum outputs’ in his projects, such as the reestablishment of his father’s KADIWA program.

“Murag pakitang-tao ra na gituman ni PBBM ang iyang promise to make rice accessible to a lot of Filipinos at a rate of 20 pesos, they sold that only in Manila but after naubos ang supply, wala na nila gi replenish ang supply,” Cabarde stated.

Cabarde also mentioned that PBBM’s projects must be implemented throughout the country, as he and other experts noticed that almost all of the projects mentioned in his recent SONA are focused at Luzon.

Furthermore, International Relations Expert Prof. Anna Malindog-Uy pointed out that the President relies heavily on financial aid rather than addressing the root cause of problems like agricultural issues and the high food inflation rate.

“Kase you cannot live forever by ayuda lang. Parang ang nangyayari sa Pilipinas, we are being converted into [the] ‘Ayuda Capital of the World’ which is not good. Ayuda is [a] band-aid; it will not bridge the whole problem na masolve mo from the root cause para hindi na sya umulit.”

In addition, Economic Analyst Eric Estrabo highlighted the need for roadmaps or explaining processes in his recent SONA, in which he only stated the endpoints of his plans towards issues.

“Kagaya nung sa mga magsasaka, binanggit niya lang yung mga pamamahagi ng mga certificates ng mga titulo, pamamahagi ng mga ayuda at assistance sa mga magsasaka; pero from Point A to Point B na magiging self-sufficient tayo na makapag produce tayo ng bigas, ng mga produktong agrikultural, doon ako nakulangan.”

Along with that, the panelists also noticed his inconsistencies with his previous SONAs, such as the fact that he did not mention anything regarding the status of the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF), which was the highlight of his previous SONA, among other things.

“The Maharlika Investment Fund is a huge project but it’s as if parang nawala nalang, hindi na pinag-uusapan,” Peace and Development Expert in Bangsamoro Region Datu Lidasan stated.

Uy and Abines pointed out PBBM’s tendency to contradict himself, particularly with his statements on rice production statistics and his remarks concerning the disputed territories in the West Philippine Sea involving China and Vietnam.

“He is saying that he aims to de-escalate tension, that we will not have this posture na mag gi-giyera, pero at the same time, sinabi niya na atin ang West Philippine Sea; that is very misleading,” Uy stated.

Furthermore, PBBM’s order to ban all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) at the end of his address raised concerns about the rebranding of POGOs into Internet Gaming Licenses (IGLs) the previous year, potentially enabling operators to exploit legal loopholes.

“[About POGOs], dapat magulat sya kung bakit hindi tumataas ang kanyang trust rate based sa recent surveys. He should address the elephant in the room,” Lidasan remarked.

Meanwhile, Lidasan acknowledged the President’s statements on the current status of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and expressed hope that the President will fulfill his promises.

“Masaya yung mga [BARMM] governors natin in fact, nandoon na ngayon sila sa office ni Chiz Escudero [current Senate President], they are also trying to send there the Bangsamoro Grand Coalition and sana nga maging consistent na si President at tuloy na ang elections sa BARMM.”

Executive Director of Bangsamoro Dialogue for Peace and Justice Inc. Musa Kamidon Damao further highlighted the importance of the said election, stating that it bolsters the legitimacy of the region and gives power to the Moros.

Despite disappointment, the speakers remain hopeful for the next four years of the Marcos Jr. administration, with some offering resignation as an option.

“If you think you cannot handle the pressure and you think it’s not within your capacity to face all of these problems in and out of the country, then I think the President should think that there is an option to step down in a graceful manner; there is always that option,” Uy remarked.

The SONA 2024: Ano ang Bagong Pilipinas? Post-SONA forum occurred via an online conference and was live streamed on Facebook on July 23, 2024.