By Mark Joseph M. Sanchez
FILIPINOS want President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. to focus on concrete solutions to rising prices, jobs and other pressing concerns, rather than highlight his administration’s accomplishments, in his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to a nationwide survey released on Sunday.
The EON x Tangere survey showed that 48% of respondents wanted the President to present solutions to national issues, while 35% wanted updates on commitments made in previous SONAs. Only 22% said they were primarily interested in hearing about the administration’s accomplishments.
“The survey suggests that Filipinos are looking not only for plans and priorities in this year’s SONA, but also for updates on how previous commitments have been carried out,” EON Group President and Chief Operating Officer Malyn Molina said in a statement.
Economic concerns dominated respondents’ priorities, with 67% citing inflation and the economy as the top issue they want addressed. Jobs and wages followed at 56%, ahead of education at 53% and agriculture and food security at 47%.
The survey also pointed to weak public confidence in the government’s ability to address these concerns. About 49% of respondents said they distrust the government’s capacity to solve the country’s problems, while 55% said it does not listen to ordinary citizens and 54% said it does not understand their daily realities.
Public skepticism appears tied to unmet expectations, with 46% saying promises made in previous SONAs have not been fulfilled. Only 31% expressed confidence that the government would deliver on commitments expected to be announced this year.
“Consistency between commitments and delivery remains an important factor in strengthening public trust in institutions,” Ms. Molina said.
The noncommissioned survey was conducted from July 7 to 10 among 1,200 Filipino adults nationwide through a mobile-based respondent application. It had a margin of error of ±2.96 percentage points at the 95% confidence level.
Labor groups also urged Mr. Marcos to address workers’ concerns during his address, saying the administration should prioritize wage growth and job security over macroeconomic indicators.
“A government cannot claim success while the very workers who create the nation’s wealth remain poor,” Federation of Free Workers National President and Nagkaisa Labor Coalition Chairman Jose Sonny G. Matula said in a statement.
The groups reiterated their call for a P200 nationwide wage increase and urged Congress to pass House Bill No. 6572, or the POWERR bill, which seeks to establish protection for platform workers. They also pressed the government to ratify the International Labour Organization’s Convention No. 193 on decent work in the platform economy.
Minimum wage workers in Metro Manila received the first tranche of an P85 wage increase on Saturday, raising the daily minimum wage to P755, with the second tranche scheduled for January 2027. Labor groups argued that workers outside the capital continue to receive insufficient wages despite facing similar increases in the prices of food, electricity and fuel.
‘LOOKING PAST RHETORIC’
Meanwhile, analysts said Mr. Marcos’ anti-corruption campaign should be judged by whether it delivers convictions, institutional reforms and consistent accountability, rather than the number of investigations it launches.
Corruption ranked among the issues Filipinos most wanted Mr. Marcos to address, according to Pulse Asia Research’s July 2026 survey released on Friday. The poll found that 29.8% of respondents wanted the President to discuss the administration’s anti-corruption efforts, including 18.9% seeking updates on investigations into the flood control scandal.
“The public should assess the government’s anti-corruption efforts by looking past rhetoric and measuring concrete accountability, institutional reforms and fiscal transparency,” University of Santo Tomas Political Science Department Chairman Dennis C. Coronacion told BusinessWorld via Facebook Messenger.
Analysts said the administration’s campaign would ultimately be measured by whether it produces successful prosecutions, strengthens institutions and applies the law consistently regardless of political affiliation.
Mr. Coronacion said Filipinos should focus on “the actual filing of formal charges, successful convictions, and court-ordered restitution,” adding that the administration’s weak survey ratings on corruption suggest many remain unconvinced by its efforts.
Eric Daniel C. de Torres, a University of the East political science professor, said accountability should extend across all levels of the government rather than target only selected officials.
“It is really about demonstrating accountability that cuts across the government and all public officials and not just being selective,” he told BusinessWorld via Facebook Messenger.
He said public attention has largely focused on personalities in the Senate even though allegations have also implicated former House of Representatives officials and Cabinet members.
“More important right now is to ensure that it applies to all… that those who need to be held accountable are held accountable, and those who need to be charged are charged, whether they are political allies or not,” Mr. de Torres said in mixed English and Filipino. “I think this is very important in establishing credibility.”
Mr. Coronacion said the administration has strengthened safeguards through legislative reforms, digitalization of project implementation and greater civil society participation in monitoring government projects.
“The Marcos administration’s biggest strength is its willingness to reform systemic frameworks through legislation and the introduction of digitalization in the crucial stages of project implementation, and the inclusion of civil society in the monitoring stage,” he said.
“But its most critical institutional gap remains the glaring lack of high-profile convictions.”
The analysts also assessed Mr. Marcos’ pledge last year to hold accountable everyone involved in anomalous flood control projects after ordering audits and investigations into allegedly ghost and substandard infrastructure.
Asked whether the administration had fulfilled that commitment, Mr. de Torres said progress had been made but questioned whether investigations had reached everyone responsible.
“To a certain degree, yes,” he said, but questioned whether those placed under investigation and charged were “just really the main players” behind the controversy or whether the actions merely created the appearance of accountability.
Mr. Coronacion likewise said the administration has yet to fully deliver on its promise.
“The administration has not fully lived up to its commitment,” he said. “If it has, there would have been no accusations of selective justice and the President’s survey numbers would have improved significantly.”
He added that meaningful anti-corruption efforts should produce lasting institutional reforms, improve public services and rebuild public trust.
“The public should not view the courtroom dramas as part of the government’s search for meaningful solutions,” he said. “Instead, they should be looking for tangible impact on ordinary people.” — with Erika Mae P. Sinaking
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