📷: Kabataan Partylist | FB
Former Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Carlos Isagani Zarate today vehemently criticized President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), lambasting it as a “glossy performance detached from the grim realities faced by the Filipino people.”
Zarate asserted that the President’s address “failed to accurately portray the country’s worsening economic and political situation and, more critically, offered no substantive solutions to alleviate the suffering of millions.”
He further condemned the administration’s apparent reluctance to truly embark on an independent foreign policy, accusing it of kowtowing to the expansionist and imperialist interests,particularly of the United States.
“The President’s SONA was a masterclass in deflection and denial,” Zarate stated.
“While Malacañang painted a rosy picture of progress, the truth on the ground is starkly different. Filipinos are grappling with soaring prices of basic commodities, stagnant wages, widespread unemployment, and a deepening crisis of governance that affects every aspect of their daily lives.”
Zarate highlighted several critical areas where the SONA, according to him, fell woefully short:
Economic Misery:
“The President spoke of economic growth, but for whom? Ordinary Filipinos are struggling to put food on the table. Rice prices remain prohibitive, fuel costs continue to surge, and the promised relief for farmers and workers remains elusive. The SONA completely ignored the alarming rates of hunger and poverty that plague our nation.”
Lack of Concrete Solutions:
“Beyond grand pronouncements, the SONA offered no genuine roadmap for recovery. Where are the concrete plans to boost local production, ensure food security, create decent jobs, or provide meaningful social protection? We heard no clear strategy to rein in inflation or to address the systemic issues that perpetuate economic inequality,” he said.
Political Deterioration:
“The political landscape, marked by continuing human rights violations, shrinking democratic space, and attacks on dissent, was conveniently brushed aside. The SONA failed to acknowledge the urgent need to uphold human rights, ensure accountability for abuses, and protect the fundamental freedoms of the people.”
Failure of Independent Foreign Policy:
“Perhaps most alarming is the administration’s continued inability or unwillingness to pursue a truly independent foreign policy. The SONA maintained a vague stance that obscures the reality of our nation being caught in the geopolitical crosshairs of competing superpowers. We demand that President Marcos genuinely embark on an independent foreign policy that neither kowtows to the expansionist and imperialist interests of the US nor China. Our national interest and the welfare of the Filipino people must be the sole guiding principle, not the dictates of foreign powers. We must assert our sovereignty and chart our own course, free from foreign military presence and economic coercion that only serve the interests of other nations, not our own.”
Disregard for People’s Plight:
“It is deeply disturbing that the President’s address seemed utterly disconnected from the lived experiences of the majority of Filipinos. The SONA was a missed opportunity to genuinely confront the challenges facing our nation and to inspire hope through real, pro-people policies.”
Zarate emphasized that the Filipino people deserve more than hollow promises and superficial reports.
“What we need are leaders who truly understand and respond to the urgent needs of the masses, not those who engage in political theatrics while the people suffer,” he added.
The former congressman called on the government to abandon its “business-as-usual” approach and to instead implement urgent, systemic reforms that prioritize the welfare of the Filipino people, both domestically and in its international relations.
“Until the government genuinely addresses the root causes of our economic and political woes and truly asserts an independent foreign policy for the benefit of all Filipinos, the plight of our people will continue to worsen, regardless of how many celebratory speeches are delivered,” Zarate concluded.#
