Sara Duterte dismisses SONA as 'waste of time,' sparking political ripples

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte on Wednesday said she has no plans to watch or even read about President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) as she simply saw it as a “waste of time.” Duterte said this in a chance interview at The Hague, Netherlands, amid an ongoing This statement suggests a potential tension between the two highest-ranking officials in Philippine politics, the President and the Vice President, which could influence future political dynamics. The SONA is typically considered a crucial event in the Philippines, used to communicate the government's policy objectives and achievements for the year to the public. For the Vice President to publicly dismiss it as a "waste of time" is unusual and raises questions about their political alignment and collaboration. Duterte has made statements in the past that indicated a distance from the President, and this latest remark can be seen as an extension of that stance. Philippine politics is often characterized by complex interplay of familial relationships and factional power dynamics, and the Vice President's statement should be interpreted within this political context.