No Nationwide Class Suspension for Marcos' SONA: Fact Check Debunks Viral Claim

A claim circulating on social media that nationwide class suspensions have been declared for President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, 2026, has been debunked as false by Rappler’s fact-check. The false information spread through a Facebook reel uploaded on July 23 by the page “Ph News Today Tv.” The video garnered over 300,000 views, leading to confusion among many users who inquired in the comments section about class suspensions in their specific localities. The narrator in the video claimed that Malacañang had declared nationwide class suspensions for the SONA, specifying that only certain areas would be affected. However, the fact-check confirmed that no official statements or declarations have been issued by Malacañang or the Presidential Communications Office ordering nationwide class suspensions in connection with the SONA. The Department of Education has also not released any memorandum or directive declaring nationwide class suspensions for the occasion. Nevertheless, some local government units, including Quezon City and the City of Manila, have announced localized class suspensions within their respective jurisdictions. Furthermore, analysis of the circulating Facebook reel indicated that the audio and speech are 99.9% AI-generated. The shortened URL included in the reel’s caption redirects users to an online shopping site, not to the supposed government memorandum or official document. President Marcos is scheduled to deliver his fifth SONA at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday, July 27, in accordance with Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that the President shall address Congress at the opening of its regular session. This year’s SONA comes at a critical time amid the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and investigations into billion-peso corruption scandals that have hounded the Marcos administration. The speech and the opening of the regular session of Congress are scheduled to begin at 4 pm Manila time. Source: Rappler Philippines