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Here's what the internet is saying about Marcos' fifth SONA

By John Patrick Magno Ranara Published Jul 27, 2026 8:44 pm

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27, sparked discussions across social media as Filipinos reacted to his remarks and key announcements.

Marcos delivered his annual address before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, where he outlined his administration's accomplishments so far as well as his priorities for the remainder of his term.

Among the issues he discussed were the administration's anti-corruption campaign and plans to improve the lives of Filipinos by removing systems loss charges, pursuing tax relief measures, among others.

After Marcos concluded his 2026 SONA, Filipinos took to social media to share their thoughts on his nearly hour-and-a-half speech.

Flood control corruption

The country's chief executive did not waste time addressing the issue that many Filipinos had been anticipating—the alleged corruption in flood control projects.

Marcos asserted that they have conducted a wide-ranging and thorough investigation without favoring anyone. "Mayroon nang mga unang nakasuhan at nakulong, mga kontratista, matataas na opisyal, pati na mga mambabatas," he said.

According to him, they have now reached the point where the filing of multiple charges against former House Speaker Martin Romualdez is imminent.

"Masakit man sa akin ito, ngunit kailangan nating gawin ang tama. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking pamilya. Hindi ako Pangulo ng aking kaibigan. Ako ay Pangulo ng Pilipinas at ang tungkulin ko ay sa inyo, ang aking mga kapwa Pilipino," he said, receiving applause from the audience.

Online, some social media users praised Marcos for his promise to hold individuals accountable regardless of their relationship to him. Others, however, remained skeptical, saying that his statements must be followed by concrete actions.

"A strong opening, especially if it is followed by genuine accountability. The filing of a complaint against former Speaker Martin Romualdez is significant. The public will now be watching whether the investigation leads to appropriate charges and the recovery of public funds," said Raffy Magno, Angat Buhay's Executive Director.

"Well, that is how you start SONA 2026! Starting with flood control, mentioning his own cousin, former Speaker Martin Romualdez! Well-written script to start with pero ang kailangan natin ng resulta, mangyari ito!" another wrote.

Removal of system loss charges

Among the pronouncements that received a standing ovation from the audience was Marcos' call to remove system loss charges from electricity bills that are passed on to consumers. This is a fee that covers the cost of electricity lost due to power pilferage and other factors such as heat from wires and transformers. Meralco has a 5% cap for such charges, and any losses beyond this limit cannot be passed on to customers.

"Pinapasa ito sa konsyumer at kinakarga sa bill na pinapatungan pa ng value-added tax. Hindi naman kasalanan ng konsyumer kung bakit nagkaroon ng system loss. Kaya hindi naman tama na kailangan sila pa ang pagbabayarin dito," Marcos said.

Many welcomed the announcement, including Bicol Saro Party-list Representative Terry Ridon, who posted on his X account that Congress should immediately prioritize and pass legislation prohibiting distribution utilities from recovering system losses through consumers’ electricity bills.

"The burden of technical and nontechnical losses should no longer be passed on to households and businesses through a separate system loss charge," he said.

"Based on an illustrative system loss charge of P0.7413 per kilowatt-hour, a household consuming 200 kWh would save approximately P148.26 per month if the charge were fully removed. For Filipino families struggling with high prices, those savings can help pay for food, medicines, transportation, education and other essential needs," he added.

Pax Silica project

Social media users were not so enthusiastic about Marcos touting how the Philippines has joined the Pax Silica project, which is a US-led initiative that aims to supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and critical minerals among trusted partner nations.

Through the project, a Pax Silica AI industrial hub will be built in New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac, which Marcos said will bring "quality jobs to our people, accelerate our industrial competitiveness, and revitalize our economy."

Some social media users, including Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno, voiced their opposition to the project due to environmental and social concerns.

"Tama bang minamadali ang Pax Silica? Kailangan muna ng tunay na konsultasyon sa mga lokal na komunidad, masusing pagsusuri sa epekto sa kalikasan, at kasiguruhang hindi tataas ang presyo ng ating tubig at kuryente," he said.

Another commented on Facebook, "Region III is already experiencing high water stress. Economic growth should never come at the expense of our future water supply. If AI hubs are pursued without adequate water resource planning, they could weaken the effectiveness of the proposed Water Resources Department that the government plans to establish."

Marcos: 'Filipinos are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars'

The crowd gave Marcos another standing ovation when he defended Filipinos' image from "detractors" as he upheld the country's rights in the West Philippine Sea.

"Filipinos are a noble, kind, gracious, and great race. We are not greedy. We are not racists. We are not liars," he underscored. "We are respectful, and we are dignified. We are Filipinos, and we do not yield."

Due to the various corruption issues that the administration has yet to resolve, some expressed their doubt on whether this statement reflects reality.

"All [the] words that you've spoken [are] very far from the reality! Kabaliktaran sa tunay na nangyayari," one user commented on Facebook.

Social media users have called on Marcos to follow through on his promises and turn them into concrete actions rather than just empty words.

"Ang sarap pakinggan ng mga salita ng Pangulo. Ang tanong, tugma ba ang kwento sa totoong nangyayari on the ground?" radio personality DJ Chacha wrote on X.

"PBBM talks about lowering taxes, expanding tax exemptions, including tax amnesty. Audience claps… like… there’s nothing to clap for yet. Those are still just words. Save the standing ovation for when it actually happens," another user said.

Others lamented how the President's remarks did not align with their lived experiences.

"I’m sorry, but I have been tuning in to SONA every year. It gets to a point that you’d question whether the accomplishments actually created a positive impact—if you ask Filipinos, I do not think they felt all of these projects or felt an improvement living here," one user said.

Another remarked, "Ikalimang sona ni Bongbong Marcos, panibagong pagkakataon na naman para magpinta ng magandang larawan ng bansa. Ngunit sa likod ng mga numero ay may mga magsasakang naghihirap, manggagawang kapos, kabataang nangangamba, at mamamayang naghihintay sa basurang sistema at pamamahala."

Marcos' address lasted for one hour and 26 minutes. Read his full speech here.

Next year will be his last SONA before the end of his six-year term in 2028.