PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is still writing his own speech for his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 27, Malacañang said on Thursday.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos has been in constant consultation with heads of government agencies to discuss their accomplishments, key programs and major initiatives.
“The President regularly talks with the leaders of each agency to know and receive updates on current developments,” Castro said in a press conference.
She also assured the public that the government is ready to secure the president’s SONA at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.
She, however, declined to discuss operational details, when asked whether the president had ordered changes in security arrangements for his SONA amid planned protests.
On whether Vice President Sara Duterte would be invited to the SONA, Castro said the invitation would come from the House of Representatives, not the president.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto earlier said Marcos will highlight the increase in local government units’ (LGUs) share from national tax collections in his fifth SONA.
The National Tax Allotment for LGUs is set to rise to P1.32 trillion in 2027, an increase of almost P130 billion from the 2026 allocation.
The amount will be “one of the biggest ticket items” in the proposed 2027 national budget that the Department of Budget and Management is finalizing.
Under the Constitution, the president has a month after he has delivered his SONA to submit next year’s national budget to Congress.
Youth concerns
Experts, lawmakers and youth leaders urged President Marcos to prioritize the health of the youth by increasing the sin taxes on unhealthy foods and cigarettes, in line with his upcoming SONA.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the Youth for Health in Quezon City on Thursday, Prof. Cielo Magno called on Marcos to raise the sin taxes to fund the Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) and provide safety mechanisms to deter the youth from accessing such products.
“We already have sin taxes in place, but I think our government also needs to realize that when the incidence of smoking and alcohol consumption rises, it means the current tax rates are no longer effective; this means they need to be adjusted,” said Magno in Filipino.
Magno said with roughly 25 percent of Filipino children under 5 suffering from stunting, the country faces a developmental emergency.
“We will not have economic growth if we do not invest in our human capital,” Magno warned.
“If 25 percent of our youth are stunted and we do not reverse it, it means 25 percent will not even finish high school. That is your future workforce,” she added.
Magno said raising sin taxes serves a dual purpose: discouraging destructive behavior and generating vital revenues to sustain PhilHealth.
Echoing Magno was Albay 1st District Rep. Cielo Krisel Lagman, who emphasized the need to update the sweetened beverage tax, which has lost its deterrent effect due to inflation.
Lagman championed House Bill 6065 to foster healthier food environments and ensure a portion of the tax revenues goes directly to LGUs to fund community-level nutrition programs.
On the other hand, Bataan 1st District Rep. Antonino Roman is pushing for House Bill 5966, which aims to raise the excise tax on alcohol to curb consumption and fund health care.
As the president prepares to address the nation on July 27, advocates stressed that the health of the youth cannot wait for another administration.
“This is the lowest-hanging fruit that the President can claim that will have multiple impacts — not just on our fiscal space, but on health and nutrition,” Magno said, urging the president to listen to the needs of the youth.
