MANILA, Philippines –  After President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 25, Filipinos online took to social media to sound off various views on the President’s speech.

The hashtag #SONA2022 topped Twitter Philippines trends immediately after Monday’s speech.  

Netizens expected Marcos to talk about his economic plans ahead of his speech after the Philippines’ inflation rate jumped to 6.1% in June – the highest level since November 2018.

Here are some issues that dominated online conversations during and after the SONA.

Mandatory ROTC

The keyword “ROTC” also topped Twitter trends after Marcos listed the implementation of mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) as one of his priority bills.

University of the Philippines (UP) – Diliman University Student Council chairperson Jonas Abadilla said the move would “be an insult to the decades of students’ struggle and to academic freedom.”

“There are other ways to express our love for our country that can be done without this abusive program. Also, the country has very limited resources in providing support for the students. In other words, we cannot afford this, since we are still under a pandemic,” he said in a Facebook post.

There are other ways to express our love for our country that can be done WITHOUT this abusive program. Also, the country has very limited resources in providing support for the students. In other words, WE CANNOT AFFORD THIS, since we are still under a pandemic.

— jonas (@jonasabadilla) July 25, 2022

Iya Trinidad, UP Baguio University Student Council chairperson, suggested instead for the government to “forward a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education” to teach the youth to learn how to serve the country. 

ROTC was never about preparing individuals for "disaster".

It about breeding a culture of impunity, violence, and blind obedience.

You want the youth to learn how to serve? The answer isn't institutionalizing ROTC. Forward a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education.

— Iya Trinidad #DefendTheDefenders (@iyaatrinidad) July 25, 2022

Meanwhile, one Twitter user said that the move would just be “a burden to senior high school students.”

Rotc would just be a burden to us senior high school students.

— ERIC IS BACK (@httpsohneric) July 25, 2022

‘Technical’ speech

While a chunk of the SONA was focused on the economy, some users criticized the content and delivery of Marcos’ speech as it sounded like a “technical paper prepared by [his] economic team.”

Is it just me or is the current SONA speech like a Technical paper prepared by the Economic Team just being read by the President? #SONA2022

— Kuya Mikee (@contdevmikee) July 25, 2022

“Some of us understand what he’s saying. But isn’t it supposed to be addressed to the nation? The nation does not have the capacity to understand this,” said Twitter user @bughawdilawpula

I forget, are SONA's really this technical? (I didn't watch the past six)

Some of us understand what he's saying. But isn't it supposed to be addressed to the nation? The nation does not have the the capacity to understand this

— Kristine (@bughawdilawpula) July 25, 2022

Other netizens said the SONA was targeted at “people with big money and power” and “foreign watchers.” 

Looks like this SONA is again, focused for the foreign watchers. It was well rehearsed and prepared, leaving little space for neither the opposition nor allies looking for shortcomings or gaps to take advantage of.

However, big goals with no details on how to achieve them.

— Jon Limjap 🇵🇭 (also at @lattex@dotnet.social) (@LaTtEX) July 25, 2022

Twitter user @vmickhell also noticed how Marcos switched between English and Filipino depending on the topic being discussed during the speech.

“Kung [tinatalakay ni Marcos ng] polisiyang madedehado ang Pilipino, ini-Ingles at tineteknikal upang ‘di maintindihan ng mamamayan,” he said 

(If Marcos is talking about a policy that would put Filipinos at a disadvantage, he says it in English and makes it technical so that it won’t be understood by the masses.)

kung mapapansin niyo ang SONA, ang lengguahe ni BBM ay naka-depende sa usaping kanyang tinatalakay

kung populist-related ang topic, tina-tagalog upang makuha ang masa

kung polisiyang madedehado ang Pilipino, ini-Ingles at tineteknikal upang ‘di maintindihan ng mamamayan

— von 🌱 #SafeSpacesNow (@vmickhell) July 25, 2022

Meanwhile, EJ Bulilan and opinion columnist Gideon Lasco welcomed Marcos’ first SONA as a “departure from the bombastic, foul, and divisive tirades” of his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. 

My initial thoughts on #SONA2022

1. It was generally well delivered; a clever mix of English and Filipino – and a welcome departure from the bombastic, foul, and divisive tirades of the predecessor.

— Gideon Lasco (@gideonlasco) July 25, 2022

In Political standpoint, PBBM’s SONA sounds very technocratic and way ahead of Duterte. Credit should be given, he deserves it. His detailed agenda and national-interest policy on international relations are also commendable. But again, all are words until acted upon. #SONA2022

— EJ Bulilan (@EjBulilan) July 25, 2022

However, Duterte’s niece, Nuelle said she doesn’t think Marcos wrote the SONA speech himself. 

Issues untouched

While streamlining government procedures was one of the priorities that Marcos laid in his SONA speech, Facebook user Clarice Aina mentioned that it ignored the issue of corruption in the government. 

Meanwhile, Filipinos also raised a variety of issues that Marcos did not discuss in his first SONA such as human rights, territorial sovereignty, and workers’ rights, among others.

Marcos finishes SONA with no mention of human rights, pursuing peace and fighting corruption. These issues do not seem to be important to his regime. #SONA2022

— Renato Reyes, Jr. (@natoreyes) July 25, 2022

Pertinent issues which Marcos Jr’s 1st SONA had skipped or ignored:

1. Human rights
2. Counter-insurgency
3. ENDO
4. Housing policies
5. Teachers’ salaries
6. West PH Sea
7. US-PH relations
8. Peace talks
9. Duterte’s ICC cases
10. Concrete anti-corruption platforms#SONA2022

— karl 🇵🇸 #MarcosMamamatayTao (@eicvsfascism) July 25, 2022

NO MENTION of wage increases, ending contractualization, genuine agrarian reform, junking the Rice Liberalization Law, and protecting human rights.

How is this thief and son of a dictator supposed to unite a country when he refuses to help its workers and peasants?#SONA2022

— Match 🍉🏆 (@match_deza) July 25, 2022

Others saw the irony in how Marcos was tackling issues such as education and taxes when he has been embroiled in controversies surrounding these matters such as the Marcos family’s P203 billion unpaid estate tax. 

Not President Marcos speaking about adjustments in our taxes during his SONA when he, himself does not know how to pay his own taxes.

Tapos pumapalakpak ang mga pulitikong ito? 🤦🏻‍♂️

— jaecee lim (@jaeceelim) July 25, 2022

https://twitter.com/notangelhugo/status/1551490388174979072

Here’s how other netizens reacted to Marcos’ SONA speech.

SONA 2022 Tweets – Curated tweets by rapplerdotcom

Read the full transcript of Marcos’ first SONA here.

– with reports from Kyla Cariño and Alyssa Tiangsing/Rappler.com

Alyssa Tiangsing is a Rappler intern. She is currently taking BA Communication at the University of Santo Tomas.

Kyla Cariño is a Rappler intern. She is a Journalism major from the University of Santo Tomas.