Marcos delivers 4th SONA, vows unity amid legal challenges

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 28, emphasizing unity and addressing government shortcomings.

Marcos acknowledged public dissatisfaction reflected in the May mid-term election results where his camp secured fewer than expected Senate seats and vowed to double efforts despite recent legal challenges like the Supreme Court decision barring impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte.

During his one-hour and eleven-minute speech starting at 4:06 p.m., Marcos laid out plans for the last three years of his administration, including expanding subsidized rice nationwide through KADIWA stores and prosecuting officials involved in failed flood control projects.

The president also ordered a probe on possible corruption in these projects and warned of consequences for poorly performing water districts and their private sector partners, urging the private sector to invest in agriculture.

Marcos highlighted job generation efforts and improvements in basic education as part of his government's initiatives but did not address other key issues such as healthcare and public utilities.