Metro Manila (CNN Philippines Life) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed the Filipino people for the second time on Monday, July 24, with his annual report on the status of the country. After inheriting the problems of the Duterte administration — chief of which is COVID-19 response — the 2023 State of the Nation Address was the first time that Marcos’ performance was measured up against his promises during his first SONA.
At the start of his almost 90-minute speech, Marcos boasted of the economy’s positive growth post-pandemic. The Philippines posted a 7.6% economic growth in 2022, its strongest since 1976. Inflation, however, continues to be a primary concern for many Filipinos. As concurrent secretary of the Department of Agriculture, the president promised to go after smugglers and price fixers to help manage the rising prices of commodities.
Spending, however, wasn’t a concern for the attendees of the SONA. As if to signal the end of a years-long public health emergency, the red carpet featured public officials and celebrity guests in bespoke ternos and barongs.
The mood of this year’s SONA is also in contrast to the sense of austerity that was part of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s image during his period. During his term, Duterte called for guests to come in simple business attire. “We will downplay the event. It will not be a fashion show,” said Finance department spokesperson Paola Alvarez when asked about the Duterte administration’s SONA dress code change. “We want to center on what the President’s message is to our people, especially it’s his first State of the Nation Address.”
Designer Michael Leyva was a favorite among the attendees, having dressed about 100 guests this year, including actress Heart Evangelista (who also wore Ivarluski Aseron), Senator Nancy Binay (who was in Randy Ortiz during the morning session), and Senator Grace Poe.
The president’s older sister, Senator Imee Marcos, wore indigenous attire with drawn-on tattoos. She later on explained that these tattoos are not decorative but should be “earned.”
“Every Filipino has unanimously risen to the challenge that we have made to them to be part of our nation’s future,” said Marcos in the address. “Dumating na po ang bagong Pilipinas.”
The lavishness and fanfare of the SONA red carpet suggest that while Filipinos seek out lower prices and more employment opportunities, there is still room to stomach a little bit of political opulence.
‘ ’12’: ‘image’: ‘jcr:319634ed-92b2-48b6-9154-e6ce9d14f61a’ ‘imageCaption’: ‘The 2023 State of the Nation Address is Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s second SONA since assuming office in 2022. A red carpet spans the length of
