July 25, 2025
MANILA – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is once again set to take center stage to deliver his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona), bringing with him not only promises and accomplishments but also growing pressure over how he will steer the Philippines in the right direction as he enters the second half of his presidency.
In an interview with INQUIRER.net, Professor Jean Encinas Franco of the University of the Philippines political science department described Marcos’ first three years in office as underwhelming and marked by unmet expectations, despite the strong public support he initially received.
“If I try to capture what people may remember of his administration, unfortunately, while he came in with such a huge mandate, the perception is that he has not done much,” Franco said via phone interview.
“I attribute it to the fact that he promised a very ambitious but very easy-to-monitor policy, which is to decrease the price of rice to P20,” she added.
Unlike other economic indicators, Franco noted that this 2022 campaign promise was especially tangible and easy for ordinary people to feel, which helped portray Marcos as accessible to the masses.
The Duterte arrest impact
External political developments have also reshaped Marcos’ public standing, particularly after the arrest and detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, for alleged crimes against humanity committed during his administration’s war on drugs.
While this has further widened the rift between Marcos and his former “Uniteam” ally, Vice President Sara Duterte, Franco considers it a political gain for Marcos, at least in terms of winning over new supporters.
“The good thing about it is that these things sort of expanded his—hindi ko naman sinasabing loyal supporters—but those who did not vote for him in the 2022 elections seem to suggest or indicate that they like what he did, on hauling Duterte out of the country into The Hague and getting investigations against Sara and all these things,” she explained.
“So unfortunately, ’yan lang din siya, doon din lang din siya nakikilala,” she added.
In April, Marcos’ trust rating dropped to 60 percent from 65 percent in November 2024, while 59 percent said they were satisfied with his performance.
This dip came just a month after the elder Duterte’s arrest—an unsurprising development, as Vice President Duterte holds a key political position and maintains the support of her father’s base.
“Talagang ni-punish siya ng Mindanao, so ’yan din ’yung nakababa sa approval and trust ratings niya,” Franco said.
Meanwhile, a Social Weather Stations survey conducted in June 2025 showed Marcos’ trust rating rebounding to 48 percent—a double-digit increase from 38 percent in May.
Franco added that Vice President Duterte’s ongoing tirades against Marcos are unlikely to have any major effect on his leadership.
What should have been
In her assessment, Franco emphasized that Marcos should have prioritized addressing inflation and underemployment.
“People say it’s not easy to lower the price of goods pag nasimula ng taasan,” she said.
READ: Inflation still top concern Marcos must address in 4th SONA
The average inflation rate in the Philippines for 2022 was 5.8 percent, with a peak of 8.1 percent in December—the highest since November 2008.
In 2023, the inflation rate was recorded at 6.0 percent, followed by 3.2 percent in 2024.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that underemployment in May 2025 dropped to 13.1 percent, an improvement from 14.6 percent the previous month.
“Ang daming taong gustong taasan pa ang sweldo nila, and that is reflected in the underemployment,” she continued.
Pivotal time to step up
Franco stressed that Marcos’ remaining years in office are “crucial,” and he should appear “stronger, rather than be perceived as weak.”
“Secondly, he should appear as if he’s on top of things, especially with regard to his relationship with the legislative branch,” she said.
In his highly anticipated SONA, Franco said she hopes the president will clearly communicate what he has accomplished over the past three years.
“Otherwise he will be perceived as a lame duck and someone whose endorsement of a 2028 candidate might not be very important at all,” she said.
READ: VP Duterte questions Marcos’ ability to lead, think clearly
All eyes on legislative agendas
As Marcos prepares to address the nation, the spotlight will not only be on his past performance but also on his legislative roadmap.
In a statement on July 21, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged Marcos to back 20 key legislative reforms aimed at strengthening competitiveness, improving infrastructure, and modernizing regulations.
“These measures address structural bottlenecks that hinder investment, logistics, rural development, and regulatory efficiency,” PCCI President Enunina Mangio said in a letter addressed to Malacañang.
Among the proposals are the Konektadong Pinoy Act, which seeks to improve nationwide internet access; the National Comprehensive Infrastructure Masterplan for long-term investments; and amendments to the Magna Carta for micro, small and medium enterprises, among others.
In his 2024 SONA, Marcos made an explosive announcement banning all Philippine offshore gaming operators in the country to “solve many of the problems that the country has been encountering.”
Now, several groups and lawmakers are pressing Marcos to decide on a broader ban on online gambling.
As the public awaits whether this issue will be addressed in the SONA, Palace press officer Claire Castro said in a briefing on July 15 that Marcos is studying the matter thoroughly, noting that any decision regarding a total ban on online gambling cannot be made hastily.