What do Gen Zs want to hear from Marcos’ 3rd SONA?

ON MONDAY, July 22, the Filipino people will hear how the country has developed in a year under the leadership of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. through his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).

During SONA, annually broadcasted on national television and streamed online, the chief executive reports on the country’s current state, the administration’s accomplishments, and their plans and priorities for the nation’s future. This is a constitutional obligation in compliance with Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution, requiring the president to address Congress at the opening of its regular session.

In 2023, Marcos declared in his second SONA that “the state of the nation is sound and is improving,” noting how the inflation, or the increase in the prices of goods and services, slowed down from the 14-year high of 8.7 percent in January of that year.

He said that investments in public infrastructure, food, education, health, jobs, and social protection remained his administration’s top priority, given that they allotted 70 percent of the country’s national budget to economic and social services.

In a few hours, Filipinos will hear what Marcos and his administration have accomplished in the past year and the president’s priorities for his remaining years in office.

Address pressing issues

But if one would ask Gen Zs about what they want to hear from Marcos’ SONA, some said they wanted him to tackle pressing issues the Philippines has been facing, including the West Philippine Sea dispute and the ongoing Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) controversy.

Filipinos have been all eyes on the ongoing Senate investigation led by Senator Risa Hontiveros, chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, about the identity of suspended Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo and her alleged involvement in the illegal activities of POGOs in Tarlac. 

Recent reports about the harassment of Chinese vessels on Philippine boats in the West Philippine Sea have also been in the headlines. One notable incident was when a Philippine Navy officer lost his thumb during a confrontation with the Chinese Coast Guard at Ayungin Shoal last month.

Several Gen Zs believe these topics should be discussed by Marcos in his SONA, stressing that they want to know his administration’s “concrete steps” in addressing these pressing issues.

“I think it is significant to learn more about the status of the dispute, and what our government does in terms of humanitarian and territorial agreements with China, especially since there has been a report of harassment by the Chinese vessels and coast guards,” 21-year-old communications student Jar-el Beatrice Garcia told republicasia.

Michelle Nava, a 21-year-old communications student, echoed this, urging the Philippine government to assert the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea.

“The issue about the WPS is becoming quiet these past few days but that doesn’t mean na pababayaan natin ulit ang issue na ito. Atin ang West Philippine Sea,” she emphasized. 

She continued, “I look forward to hearing necessary measures to ensure that our fishermen would get the protection they need para makapangisda, para makapaghanapbuhay. Hindi na tayo maaaring magpa-bully sa China.”

Nava is also keeping her eye on the Senate hearings about Guo and how the government will hold her accountable once the accusations against the suspended mayor, including her alleged links to the illegal offshore gaming operations and having a fake identity, are proven true by the court.

“[I want to hear] the assurance that the government is doing something to ensure that the fake Alice Guo will be held liable for what she did, conduct a thorough investigation, and ensure that her accomplices will be held accountable too,” she said.

Meanwhile, Garcia suggested the government implement “strict regulations and control” over POGO hubs in the country “to avoid exploitation and other illegal processes.”

Guo has been a no-show in the Senate hearings, prompting the Senate to issue an arrest order against the Bamban mayor and other individuals for skipping the probe into the illegal operations of POGOs in Tarlac. 

Amid the continued tensions between China and the Philippines, a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that the majority of Filipinos believe that the Marcos administration’s actions to address issues in the West Philippine Sea were “sufficient.”

Concerns in education

Several college students also raised concerns about the country’s education sector, particularly Marcos’ choice of the new education secretary, former senator Sonny Angara.

Angara, whose legislative works include the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act and the Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (K to 12 program), replaced Vice President Sara Duterte, who resigned from the position on June 19.

However, communications students Jam Paglicawan and Eunice Morales were skeptical about Angara’s appointment as the new Department of Education (DepEd) chief, questioning how the senator will resolve the problems in the education sector such as classroom shortages and teachers’ workload.

“Not because a certain politician has an affluent educational background, it does not necessarily equate to them being capable of dealing with the current crisis in the education sector,’ said Paglicawan. “How would they get to understand this in a Philippine context if they, themselves, were molded in a foreign land?”

Angara took up his basic education at Xavier School in San Juan before he flew abroad to finish his bachelor’s degree at the London School of Economics. He returned to the country to finish his law degree at the University of the Philippines College of Law and earned his Master of Laws degree from the Harvard Law School.

With his educational background, Morales said she expects Angara to handle issues in the education sector like low wages of teachers, lack of sufficient classrooms, and inadequate educational materials.

“These are fundamental problems that need to be resolved to improve the quality of education in the Philippines,” she emphasized.

Gab Ciego, a 20-year-old communications student, said he wanted to hear how the Marcos administration will improve students’ performances, noting children’s “poor reading and writing abilities.” 

To recall, the Philippines was in the bottom 10 of the 81 countries in reading comprehension, ranking 76th, according to the 2022 Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test result. The 2018 result was worse because the country ranked the lowest out of 79 participating countries in reading comprehension.

“The effects of this education crisis, if left unchecked, is a threat to the future of the Philippines. I’d like to hear about how they will increase the quality of our education through [giving] proper wages [to teachers] and [providing] better school facilities,” he said.

Angara, who resigned from the Senate before assuming his post as DepEd secretary on July 19, said he would fully support the proposal to increase the entry-level salary for public school teachers to P50,000.

Marcos also ordered Angara to take care of teachers and ensure that Philippine history is part of the students’ curriculum.

Overall rating

All in all, those interviewed feel that there are many things still lacking with Marcos’s performance.

Paglicawan stated that since Marcos started his presidency, she has never felt safe. She questions who the word “unity” in his slogan is really for. 

She asked: “Since he was envisioning unified Filipinos in all sectors, do we actually feel united?”

“The President’s performance hasn’t left a noticeable positive impact, which is telling as this is his first SONA,” shared Ciego.

“It’s common for the younger population to remark that the administration is out of touch – that the Philippines is still the same, still as stagnant – except now, we are under the false [pretense] that things are coming along.”

Nava also expressed that she feels unsatisfied with Marcos’s performance thus far; she feels that though there are a number of pressing matters that require his attention at present, he has yet to take action on them. 

Nonetheless, she still tries to give him the benefit of the doubt that he will be able to fulfill his role as president moving forward. 

“Sa nalalabi niyang panahon sa kanyang panunungkulan, nais kong maging pagkakataon ito para mas maibigay niya sa taumbayan ang mga ipinangako niya,” she stated. 

Garcia stated that, since she sees no signs of improvement with the rising number of issues within the country, she is nowhere near satisfied with his performance either. 

Some issues that she points out are those of rising inflation within the country, making it more difficult for people – especially the poor – to survive given the increased cost of living and the rampant corruption found in different government sectors. 

She also questions the current budget for the SONA, which is PHP 20 million; though it was originally stated that this would only be for food, it was later claimed that the budget would also go to things like uniforms, security expenses, interagency coordination meetings, invitations, giveaways, equipment rental, potted plants, and the like. 

Garcia finds all of this to be questionable, to say the least.

“As a student journalist, I observe that President Marcos has made some strides, such as the increase in the minimum wage, which is a step in the right direction for labor rights – however, several significant issues overshadow these achievements.,” shares Morales.

Some examples she cites are the conflicts with China surrounding the West Philippine Sea, the PUV Modernization Program, the issues surrounding the new Senate building, as well as the cases of Quiboloy and Guo.

“These issues reflect a complex, challenging landscape that has yet to see substantial progress on many of his campaign promises.”

Further expectations

For the upcoming SONA, there are several issues that Gen Zs hopes Marcos will discuss in-depth. 

Paglicawan, for example, hopes that he will discuss the traffic congestion in Manila, as well as the country’s lack of green spaces and public recreational spaces such as parks and libraries. She also hopes that Marcos will explain the budget cuts toward state universities, as well as the apparent leniency toward certain government officials. 

Ciego shares similar sentiments, expecting Marcos to discuss the country’s stance on global affairs, particularly the signing of the Philippines-Japan Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA), and where the country stands with regard to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

He also hopes that the climate crisis will be addressed as well, especially considering the increasing temperatures that have led many Filipinos to struggle with their day-to-day tasks, particularly during El Niño.

As a student studying Mass Communication, Nava also wants Marcos to discuss how he plans to protect journalists given that, as of 2023, according to the CPJ’s Global Impunity Index, the Philippines is the 8th most dangerous country for a journalist to be living in. 

Other issues raised were those of the current state of the Absolute Divorce Bill and the administration’s Maharlika Fund. 

Many also want the president to discuss some of his current programs and how he plans to implement them in a way that will not negatively affect Filipinos, such as the PUV Modernization Program and the Build Better More infrastructure projects.

With regard to his performance, Paglicawan hopes that Marcos will better prioritize the educational and agricultural sectors, as she views them to be the most important sectors in our economy. She views an investment in education as an investment in the future of the Filipino people. 

She also points out how the Philippines is rich in natural resources, yet farmers are often overlooked, hence the need for the PBBM administration to converse with farmers with regard to their needs, both short and long-term.

Nava also raises the sectors of transportation and education. About the former, she discusses her struggles in commuting within the country, hence why she feels that government officials should try commuting to better understand the struggles of their people. 

To the latter, she recommends creating more buildings and classrooms for students so that they will be able to learn in a more conducive manner.