Ferdinand Marcos To Deliver His Maiden State Of The Nation Address

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to the Congress today at 16:00 PHST/09:00 BST.

• This will be the first opportunity for Marcos to provide a comprehensive overview of his agenda three weeks after taking office. His reluctance to attend debates and media interviews during the campaign period has kept investors and businesses in the dark about his policy priorities.
• Marcos is taking the helm of the nation facing strong economic headwinds, which include twin deficits, acute inflationary pressures and food supply disruptions. He also looks at the challenge of guiding the Philippines out of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Following Marcos' announcement that he is set to double as Agriculture Minister, many expect him to emphasise support to the farm sector and make keeping a lid on food prices one of his priorities.
• He will also outline the new administration's medium-term fiscal plan, which aims at reducing the Philippines' fiscal deficit, promoting fiscal sustainability, and boosting growth. Finance Secretary Diokno earlier said that the new fiscal framework will be implemented in two phases.
• Executive Secretary Victor Rodriguez listed the economic recovery plan, pandemic response, and food security crisis as the key issues to be addressed in Marcos' first SONA. "It’s all about our economy, the economic plans," Rodriguez added.