Villanueva: Marcos' 5th Sona must deliver beyond promises

MANILA, Philippines — Senator Joel Villanueva on Sunday said this year’s state of the nation address (Sona) should present a clear roadmap that delivers quality jobs, better education and a solution to widespread hunger. Villanueva made the pronouncement as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his fifth Sona on Monday, July 27. “This year’s Sona must answer the questions that matter most to ordinary Filipinos: Where are the jobs? How will families put food on the table? How will we reduce poverty? How do we give our children a better future through education?” Villanueva asked in a statement. According to Villanueva, the president must address these issues as Filipinos continue to grapple with rising costs and unemployment, leading to economic uncertainty. The unemployment rate in the country, as of May 2026, currently sits 4.8 percent, reflecting 2.5 million jobless Filipinos. The underemployment rate, on the other hand, is at 12.2 percent—equivalent to 6.04 million Filipinos who seek more hours of work or an extra job. Results of a March 2026 Social Weather Stations survey also showed an uptick in the country’s hunger incidence rate, now at 23.2 percent, higher than 20.1 percent in November 2025. Inflation, meanwhile, is at 6.4 percent in June 2026, way higher compared to 1.4 percent in June 2025. The senator also cited challenges in education – from low literacy rate, lack of classrooms and low Math and reading proficiency to rising school violence as seen in recent shootings. “Real challenges call for real action. The nation’s biggest problems can’t wait,” Villanueva said. “The best anti-poverty program is a decent job. The best way to fight hunger is to ensure that every Filipino who wants to work has access to job opportunities,” he noted. He added: “At the end of the day, the measure of any Sona is simple: Will it bring more jobs, put food on the table, and give every Filipino child a better future?”