LIVE BLOG: SONA 2025
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will give his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday afternoon, July 28, 2025.
Marcos will deliver his SONA at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City with members of the 20th Congress in attendance, as well as government officials, the diplomatic corps, and others.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority on Sunday said they have already made the necessary preparations for Monday's SONA.
PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III said they are "hoping for the best and preparing for the worst."
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said 22,987 police personnel have been deployed to conduct security for the annual event. Of the total complement, 16,060 are cops assigned to the NCRPO. Support units from Region 4A of Police Regional Office 3 number 3,707 police officers while other agencies have contributed 3,220 personnel.
All classes in public and private schools in Quezon City meanwhile were suspended while a liquor ban took effect on Monday in Quezon City at 12:01 a.m. and will last until 6 p.m.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco on Friday issued a memo for the austere holding of the SONA.
"There will be no staged ceremonies, fashion coverage, or photo setups in the red carpet area," read the memo.
"Members are respectfully urged to avoid ostentatious displays and exercise discretion in their wardrobe choices," it added.
According to the memo, this is "in view of the recent calamities affecting several regions of the country."
Below are the latest news and developments.
Refresh this page for updates. —KG, GMA Integrated News
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GMA Network
7 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos confident US will defend PH territory
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday expressed his confidence that the United States will defend the Philippines should it face security challenges, particularly in the West Philippine Sea. Speaking to Indian news media 'Firstpost,' Marcos was asked if he is convinced that the US would come to the Philippines' defense should it face a security challenge in the region. 'I am, because the assurance is that we have been receiving in those terms from the new [US] administration before I went there, and when I went there,' Marcos replied in reference to his recent official visit to Washington, D.C. last July where he met US President Donald Trump and senior defense officials. Marcos also cited the Trump administration's 'ironclad commitment' to the Philippines amid the 'dangerous' Chinese actions in the South China Sea. 'I believe that remains constant, and I'm not surprised because we really have had a very, very long history together with the US,' the President said. 'It has been a very long and very good relationship, and I think it will remain so. I'm sure it will remain so,' he added. In July, Manila reiterated its call for China to comply with the nine-year-old arbitration ruling that nullified Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. Marcos is currently in India on a five-day state visit. Meanwhile, Marcos said the world will have to readjust to the new US tariff rates. 'That's where it stands right now, and it is just something that we will have to adjust to and the effects on our economies are all about the same,' he surmised. 'The entire world economy is going to have to readjust itself. He reinvents himself in many ways,' he added. According to US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, the new US tariff rates are unlikely to change. Trump had announced a new 19% tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after he and Marcos had a meeting during the Philippine President's US visit. When asked for advice how to negotiate with the US, Marcos answered, 'Just do your best' and be 'smart about it.' 'We now need to be agile, our economies need to be agile. We need to be able to adjust very quickly,' the President said. 'That's how we are structuring our economy: strong, robust, but agile, and it seems to be the most important quality right now,' he added. — RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
8 hours ago
- GMA Network
PH to procure more BrahMos missiles —Marcos
The Philippines is in the process of procuring more BrahMos missiles, President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. said Wednesday. ''I've spoken to the officers and men who operate the BrahMos system and they say we need more, their experience of it, thank God it has never been used but from the demonstrations that they've seen, from the training that they received both in India and the Philippines, the practice runs that they've done, they seemed confident with the equipment,'' Marcos said in an interview with India's Firstpost. ''I think we'll probably... we are in the process of actually procuring more,'' he added. With these assets, Marcos said the Philippines is merely modernizing its military sector and reacting to the challenges and tensions in the region, noting that it is not a preparation for war. ''The Philippines is in the midst of modernization of our military and so we are looking to see what's most suitable for our defensive needs. Let me be clear, we are not gearing up for war, we are simply reacting to the challenges that we are facing,'' Marcos said. In April 2024, the Indian government confirmed that the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles was successfully delivered to the Philippines. Another batch of weapons is about to arrive in the Philippines, the Department of National Defense (DND) said in April of this year. The deal with BrahMos Aerospace, a joint venture between India and Russia, involves three batteries, training for operators and maintainers, as well as logistics support. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
11 hours ago
- GMA Network
Marcos confident of continued SSS growth
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed confidence on the growth of the state-run insurer Social Security System (SSS), which is set to roll out its multiyear pension hikes. Marcos made the remark in relation to the increase of the pension for retirement and disability pensioners by 10% annually until 2027. He said this would not necessitate additional contributions. "Well, that's fine because the SSS is growing anyway. Our population is growing. Our working population is growing. So, 'yun ang bawi doon, it will continue to grow (So, that's how it's recovered, it will continue to grow)," Marcos said in an interview with GMA Integrated News aired Wednesday. "In fact, in our estimation, SSS in terms of its fund is growing at such a rate that it will be bigger than GSIS soon," he added. In a statement, SSS earlier said its Pension Reform Program was approved by the Social Security Commission (SSC) under Resolution No. 340 s.2025 dated July 11, 2025. The pension adjustments will be implemented beginning September 2025. The SSS said the pension reform is "the first multi-year adjustment of its kind in the institution's 68-year history." After three years, pensions will have increased by approximately 33% for retirement/disability pensioners and 16% for death/survivor pensioners, according to SSS. The SSS said the reform would benefit over 3.8 million pensioners, including 2.6 million retirement/disability pensioners and 1.2 million survivor pensioners, and is projected to inject P92.8 billion into the economy from 2025 to 2027. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
