Approximately two years into President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration, significant dissatisfaction with the living conditions in the country has prompted calls for urgent action as the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) is nearing.

In a pre-SONA forum conducted by Publicus Asia, Inc., invited panelists in various sectors discussed the country’s situation, with statistics showing a decline in the conditions and that public perception of the administration is becoming increasingly negative.

“Hindi gumanda ang situation natin. In fact, lumala. Looking at this survey, almost everything goes down. The perception of the people ay talagang medyo lumalabo ang takbo ng administration natin,” Business and Legal Expert Ernesto Abines said during the SONA 2024: Ano ang Bagong Pilipinas?.

According to the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country’s Consumer Price Index and Inflation Rate from January to June 2024 reached 3.5 percent, reflecting a moderate increase in the general price level of goods and services in the economy.

“Ang standard of living ng mga Pilipino at this time ay hindi maganda kasi nga bumababa ang purchasing power or mababa ang purchasing power ng ating mga kababayan dahil mataas ang inflation hindi tumataas ang sweldo o static lang so what does it tells you na tumataas din ang index ng poverty sa Pilipinas,” International Relations Expert Prof. Anna Malindog-Uy stated.

Uy have also highlighted that these problems were impacting foreign direct investment, which has dropped by 63.6% for the first quarter of the year.

“That’s alarming and concerning, and one thing that we have to remember in the 2024 Foreign Direct Investment Confidence Index for emerging markets, ang Pilipinas from the thirteenth spot down naging down to twelve from the previous year,” Uy said.

Uy also called for the current administration to prioritize addressing inflation, lowering crime rate, improving infrastructure, and ensuring domestic stability to further attract foreign investors.

“The challenge is now to improve the investment climate in the Philippines and also to have a very strict and efficient implementation of existing laws,” Uy stated.

On the other hand, Peace and Development Expert in Bangsamoro Region Datu Mussolini Lidasan, and Executive Director of Bangsamoro Dialogue for Peace and Justice Inc. Musa Kamidon Damao, have called for greater autonomy in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and respect for their rights.

“Sana ibigay ng presidente ang totoong autonomy na hinihingi namin na wala ng interventions ng Malacañang, ng Manila. Let the people of BARMM decide on state. Hindi pwede na lagi po kaming at the mercy of the people in Malacañang,” Lidasan stated. 

Five years since the peace agreement between the BARMM and the government, the normalization program—which involves the central government, the MILF, and a Joint Normalization Committee—has faced persistent funding issues, resulting in the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation, and Unity (OPAPPRU), responsible for overseeing the peace process, seeking financial support from individual agencies to fund necessary services.

“Yung reality and expectations na nakalagay sa batas, hindi nasusunod kung ano yung nakalagay sa batas. Maraming kulang ang nasa transitory provisions ng Bangsamoro. Kulang ang mga nagawa ng both sides, not only the MILF but even the government,” Datu Mussolini Lidasan said.

Moreover, during last year’s SONA, the president vowed to support the progress of BARMM and help former rebels regain their legal rights through an amnesty program as part of the administration’s comprehensive peace process, emphasizing the region’s potential for sustainable progress and the national government’s partnership in energy exploration and development within the region.

Despite modest expectations, Uy emphasized key issues that she hopes will be addressed in the upcoming SONA, including a clear plan for economic growth and recovery, support for small businesses and agriculture, infrastructure development, and a stance on the West Philippine Sea dispute with China.

Last June 17, armed China Coast Guard personnel boarded three Philippine Navy boats during a resupply mission to Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands, intensifying calls for the government to adopt a decisive stance on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

“For diplomacy and political settlement ka po ba or talagang ipu-pursue mo ang tinatawag na belligerent foreign policy or approach to the dispute with the South China Sea. But I really hope in the SONA that he will emphasize that diplomacy is the road to go,” Uy stated. 

Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his third SONA on Monday, July 22, 2024.