By Vhioly Rosatazo
MANILA — Senator Joel Villanueva said Filipinos expect this year’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) to go beyond promises and present a clear roadmap that delivers quality jobs, better education, and relief from hunger.
“This year’s SONA must answer the questions that matter most to ordinary Filipinos: Where are the jobs? How will families put food on the table? How will we reduce poverty? How do we give our children a better future through education?” Villanueva said.
The senator said Filipinos continue to grapple with rising costs and economic uncertainty and are pinning their hopes on the government.
As of May 2026, the unemployment rate increased to 4.8 percent, equivalent to 2.5 million jobless Filipinos.
Meanwhile, the underemployment rate stood at 12.2 percent, representing 6.04 million Filipinos seeking more working hours or an additional job.
According to the March 2026 Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, hunger incidence reached 23.2 percent, up from 20.1 percent in November 2025.
Inflation stood at 6.4 percent in June 2026, significantly higher than the 1.4 percent recorded in June 2025.
In education, longstanding challenges continue to hound the sector, including low literacy rates, a shortage of classrooms, and poor math and reading proficiency.
Recent shooting incidents and other acts of violence in schools have also become serious concerns being addressed by education officials.
“Real challenges call for real action. The nation’s biggest problems can’t wait,” Villanueva said.
“The best anti-poverty program is a decent job. The best way to fight hunger is to ensure that every Filipino who wants to work has access to job opportunities,” he added.
Villanueva said he has remained focused on his legislative duties and has helped steer the passage of several landmark laws aimed at improving the education system and workforce conditions.
Among these are:
RA 12124, or the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program, which provides a pathway to earning a college degree through work experience.
RA 12063, or the Enterprise-Based Education and Training Act, which aligns technical-vocational education with industry demands.
RA 11962, or the Trabaho Para sa Bayan Act, which envisions a 10-year master plan to boost job creation, improve workers’ skills, and support micro, small, and medium enterprises.
The President also recently signed into law measures authored and sponsored by Villanueva, namely RA 12313, or the Lifelong Learning Development Framework Act; RA 12315, which extends the duration of EDCOM II; and RA 12321, or the Last Mile and GIDA Schools Act.
“We continue to support the priority legislation identified by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council and will push for their passage,” Villanueva said.
“At the end of the day, the measure of any SONA is simple: Will it bring more jobs, put food on the table, and give every Filipino child a better future?” Villanueva concluded.
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