Senator Loren Legarda. Photo courtesy of Loren Legarda/Facebook.
Senator Loren Legarda urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to use his fifth State of the Nation Address to highlight the country’s gains while presenting clear steps to improve the lives of Filipino families.
Legarda said the July 27 address could serve as an opportunity to show how the government plans to build on recent economic progress and respond to continuing concerns over prices, jobs and public services.
She said families would benefit from policies that further strengthen household incomes, keep basic goods affordable and protect communities from future economic and climate-related shocks.
The senator also called for sustained reforms to improve transparency, speed up public projects and ensure that government funds are used effectively.
Legarda welcomed the Philippines’ classification as an upper middle income economy, saying it reflected years of economic progress and created momentum for the country to pursue faster and more inclusive development.
She said the next challenge was to ensure that growth translates into stable jobs, fair wages, accessible healthcare, quality education and stronger social protection for more Filipinos.
The senator also emphasized the need for greater investment in children through better nutrition, additional classrooms, teacher support and stronger literacy and numeracy programs.
Legarda said the SONA should offer a forward-looking agenda that gives Filipinos confidence that the country’s progress will lead to safer communities, better opportunities and a more secure future.
