Beyond the Podium: Survey Reveals Deep Disconnect Between Government and Citizens Ahead of 5th SONA
As President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. prepares to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA), a newly released national survey sheds light on a palpable disillusionment among the populace: a majority of Filipinos feel their government is fundamentally out of touch with their daily realities
According to the non-commissioned EON–Tangere Pre-SONA Survey 2026, 53.8% of Filipinos believe the current administration fails to grasp the genuine challenges faced by ordinary citizens. The data paints a picture of a fractured relationship between the state and its people, with a staggering 55% of respondents expressing that the government simply does not listen to their concerns. Furthermore, nearly half of the populace (49.4%) harbors active distrust regarding the administration's capacity to resolve the nation's most pressing crises, and 40.8% actively doubt the government will follow through on the commitments expected in this year's SONA.
Action Over Rhetoric
The message from the electorate is resoundingly clear: political rhetoric and retrospection are no longer sufficient. Citizens are overwhelmingly demanding actionable solutions over a recap of past achievements.
When asked what they prioritize hearing in the upcoming SONA, respondents heavily favored forward-looking strategies over historical praise:
- Actionable Solutions: 48.3% want concrete, immediate answers to current national problems.
- Reforms and Transparency: 35.6% are looking for robust anti-corruption measures and systemic government reforms.
- Accountability: 34.7% seek updates on unfulfilled promises from previous addresses.
- Economic Relief: 32.8% explicitly demand a comprehensive plan to lower the cost of basic goods.
In stark contrast, a mere 22% of respondents expressed interest in hearing the administration's traditional report on past accomplishments, signaling a definitive shift in public expectations.
The People's Priorities
When outlining the specific issues they want the President to tackle head-on, household economics and essential public services emerged as the indisputable focal points:
- Economy and inflation: 67.1%
- Jobs and wages: 56.2%
- Education: 53.2%
- Agriculture and food security: 47.3%
- Health: 44.7%
- Cost of living: 43.3%
- Crime and public safety: 42.4%
- Corruption: 42.2%
Methodology
The EON–Tangere Pre-SONA Survey 2026 was conducted using a mobile-based, self-administered questionnaire. It engaged 1,200 Filipino adults through quota-based stratified random sampling across the National Capital Region (12%), Northern Luzon (23%), Southern Luzon (22%), Visayas (20%), and Mindanao (23%).