As the nation turns its eyes to the Batasang Pambansa this Monday, the latest Pulse Asia survey offers a sobering preview of what Filipinos truly expect from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address. 

According to the July 2026 Ulat ng Bayan, nearly one in three Filipinos (29.8%) want the President to focus on corruption—specifically the flood control scandal that has shaken public confidence in government accountability. This sentiment cuts across regions and social classes, with Metro Manila and Luzon showing the strongest demand for transparency and justice. 

Close behind is the call for affordable basic goods (18.7%), a reflection of the daily struggle of families facing rising prices and stagnant wages. The survey also highlights concerns about jobs, poverty, and illegal drugs, but the underlying message is unmistakable: people are tired of hearing promises—they want results. 

The timing of this survey is crucial. It comes amid political turbulence—the impeachment trial of the Vice President, the arrest of two senators, and the leadership reshuffle in the Senate. Add to that the economic headwinds: a downgraded growth forecast, a wage hike that barely offsets inflation, and the country’s failure to secure a UN Security Council seat. 

In short, the public pulse is restless. The people want a SONA that speaks not only of achievements but of accountability. They want a government that can clean its own house before boasting of progress abroad. 

The President may stand before Congress with a long list of accomplishments, but unless he confronts corruption head-on and addresses the cost of living, his words will echo hollow in the ears of ordinary Filipinos. 

Because the real state of the nation isn’t measured by GDP or foreign trips—it’s measured by the price of rice, the integrity of our leaders, and the hope that justice still works in this country.

And that, mga ka-Bench Files, is the SONA that matters most—ang tunay na ulat ng bayan, sa ating palabigasan.