Marcos Jr. says election results a protest vote, vows to do better

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. acknowledged the results of the midterm elections as a protest vote during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA), stating the people are "dismayed" with the government and that his administration needs to "do better, and we need to move faster."

He urged government officials to move forward under three shared values: being Filipino, loving the country, and fulfilling their constitutional duties.

Marcos Jr. stressed that improving economic indicators are meaningless if people are still struggling, and that the remaining three years of his term will focus on significantly improving citizens' welfare.

The business-like SONA, delivered mostly in Filipino, lasted for one hour and 11 minutes and included initiatives such as lowering the price of one-kilo rice to P20, plans to combat youth mental health issues, and warnings against palay price manipulators and corruption in flood control programs.