Philippines’ Marcos uses national address to promise relief, but funding questions loom

AI Summary

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. addressed his nation in the 2026 State of the Nation Address, promising relief on taxes, electricity, and rice prices while pledging to pursue corruption cases linked to a flood control scandal. Analysts expressed concern about the funding of relief measures and absence of austerity plans amid fiscal uncertainty.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr used his 2026 State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday to promise relief from taxes, electricity charges and high rice prices, while pledging to pursue corruption cases linked to a flood-control scandal that has battered his administration. But while analysts said the one-and-a-half-hour speech addressed issues Filipinos had expected Marcos to confront, they questioned how the government could afford the handouts and why he announced no austerity or...