Speech

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. wrote his second State of the Nation Address, which lasted for an hour and 11 minutes and was applauded at least 68 times yesterday.

The President received a standing ovation during the last part of his speech where he said that the “new Philippines” (Bagong Pilipinas) has arrived and that the state of the nation is strong and improving.

Days before his SONA, Mr. Marcos rolled out the country’s new brand of governance and leadership campaign -- Bagong Pilipinas -- which he said was characterized by a “principled, accountable, and dependable government.”

According to presidential son and Ilocos Norte Rep. Sandro Marcos, his father had to trim his initial draft to keep the speech under an hour and a half.

“He started with quite a long draft but he was able to shave it down a little

PAG -IBIG Fund netted a record high income of P20.61 billion in the first half of 2023, the agency’s top executives announced Monday to coincide with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address.

In a

By Maricel V. Cruz, Macon Ramos-Araneta, Julito G. Rada, and Vito Barcelo

LAWMAKERS on Monday applauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA)

’Egay’ to peak just under super typhoon level

By Rio N. Araja and Darwin G. Amojelar

TYPHOON “Egay” is forecast to continue intensifying and become a super typhoon by late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Should it shift closer to the landmass of Luzon, however, Egay may peak at an intensity just below the super typhoon threshold, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PA- for its “no-nonsense” accounting of what the administration has achieved and what more must be done, but labor groups and the urban poor said not much has changed for them.

Speaker Martin G. Romualdez said the President delivered his message loud and clear.

Despite the turmoil in other parts of the world, Romualdez said, the country’s economy is doing well and a large number of Filipinos are benefiting from it. “We in the House of Representatives will support the President’s agenda,” Romualdez said as he vowed that Congress will work on the immediate passage of the legislation identified by the President in his speech.

Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. said