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The House of Representatives is ready to host a ‘simple, dignified and focused’ State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow, as lawmakers await President Marcos Jr.’s assessment of the country’s condition and the policies Congress would be asked to support through legislation.

Bulacan 5th District Rep. Agatha Paula Cruz said the House and the Office of the President had agreed on a simple program, with no red carpet or long gowns. Instead, lawmakers were asked to wear simple Filipino attire.

‘The reminder to us was to wear simple Filipiniana attire. That was the only directive so the focus remains on the main agenda of the SONA,’ she said.

The SONA will coincide with the opening of the second regular session of the 20th Congress.

According to a dzBB report, House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil confirmed that the House had sent an invitation to Vice President Sara Duterte.

Duterte, however, is expected to skip this year’s address for the second straight year as her office earlier announced that she would be out of the country from July 16 to 31 for a trip covering Qatar, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

Duterte is currently facing trial before the Senate impeachment court over allegations of misuse of P612.5 million worth of confidential funds, untruthful declarations in the filing of her statements of assets, liabilities and net worth, unexplained wealth and death threats against President Marcos, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and former House speaker and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez.

Despite the ongoing impeachment proceedings against Duterte, Cruz said the trial would not prevent Congress from carrying out its legislative responsibilities, expressing confidence that the Senate could continue performing its work both as a legislative chamber and as an impeachment court while the House builds on its legislative momentum.

Meanwhile, lawmakers said they expect the President to focus on governance and key legislative priorities in his address.

Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal said the public is expecting ‘less politics and more governance’ in the President’s address, with policies centered on uplifting the lives of the people and improving the country’s standing in the near and long term.

Kamanggagawa Party-list Rep. Elijah San Fernando, for his part, urged the President to use the power of his office to certify pro-worker measures as urgent, as he gave the administration a ‘failing grade’ on labor and economic relief.

He pointed out that millions of Filipino workers, micro-business owners and consumers continue to bear the burden of low wages, precarious employment and rising living expenses while landmark pro-worker legislation remains stalled in Congress.

He also raised concern over the lack of concrete legislative progress for the labor sector four years into Marcos’ term.

After a series of oil price hikes, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) is studying the possibility of expanding and increasing the fuel discounts given to public utility vehicles or PUV sector.

LTFRB Chairman Vigor Mendoza II said the board is discussing on whether to sustain, expand and increase the discount, as an alternative to cover the sector’s additional operational costs, while the petitions for fare hikes remain pending.

‘We are factoring everything in the conduct of review and re-computation,’ Mendoza said, noting the difficulties in arriving at a conclusion as ‘the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable and unstable.’

Mendoza said that the fuel discount increase and expansion is ‘the most logical and practical measure.’

He noted, though, that this would require higher budgets.

‘We are looking into this proposal as the last option because the discussions on the matter are ongoing, and these discussions include public consultations with stakeholders nationwide,’ Mendoza said.

LTFRB data showed that over 87,000 of 143,000 PUVs in the country, including jeepneys and UV Express, have benefited from the government’s P10-per-liter fuel discount.

Patience will continue to be a virtue for Angiolino Frigoni and the Alas Pilipinas men’s team.

Frigoni and the Filipino spikers absorbed another setback Friday night, falling to Indonesia, 25-18, 25-17, 23-25, 24-26, 25-19, in the SEA V-League Leg 2 in Jakarta, fully aware that they are still far from full strength.

It came a day after being swept by the Cambodians, the Leg 1 titlists, 25-20, 25-21, 25-20, the day before.

Energetic Josh Yabañez, the Leg 1 Best Libero, has been carrying the fight for Alas along with a slew of talented rookies.

The result points to another fifth-place finish for the Philippines, mirroring its campaign in Leg 1 in Candon, Ilocos Sur last week.

But once the cavalry arrives – led by Bryan Bagunas and Marck Espejo – the Nationals are expected to return to fearsome form, much like they did in last year’s World Championship in Manila, where Alas posted a historic 19th-place finish as the second-best Asian team.

That moment should come soon, as Alas gears up for a bigger battle ahead in the Asian Games this September in Aichi, Japan.

There, Alas – expected to have Bagunas and Espejo back in the fold – will be grouped in a tough Pool D with China, runner-up in the last Asiad in Hangzhou, South Korea, and Chinese Taipei. The Nationals will look to pull off an upset or two.

Until then, the Nationals will have to soak in everything – including this painful but valuable SEA V-League experience – and use it as motivation for the challenges ahead.

Businessmen want less politics and more economics as President Marcos delivers his penultimate State of the Nation Address tomorrow.

Days before the fifth SONA, business groups released their wish list of legislation that they hope the President will certify as part of his priority agenda. The measures aim to improve the business environment – an area where the country has seen its regional competitiveness progressively slipping.

The President has only a year left before the 2028 election fever threatens to overwhelm most of the activities across the country. The economic reforms are being sought by the business community as the nation grapples with the prolonged Middle East conflict, a weakened peso, the financing challenges posed by the country’s rise to upper-middle income status and a global tariff regime upended by Donald Trump.

Employers have warned that job losses due to AI and machines replacing humans are likely to be speeded up by the ‘highest-ever’ wage hike approved by the populist labor secretary, which took effect over the weekend.

The health care system remains grossly inadequate, exacerbated by political intervention, and the education system is badly in need of fixing. There is a shortage of 166,000 classrooms, and the nation has yet to address the growing problem of bullying and violence among teenage students.

Farmers, now facing the threat of a super El Niño, are still waiting for the long-promised cold chain facilities and other farm support services. Fertilizer prices remain high, affected by the fuel crisis.

Meanwhile, surveys show that people want a progress report on the anti-corruption campaign that President Marcos launched with memorable flair in his SONA last year.

‘Mahiya naman kayo’ – have some shame – would have been the defining statement of his presidency. But this will depend on the results, or at least the progress, of the anti-corruption crackdown.

So far, the campaign has been dragged down by accusations of selective justice and unmet expectations.

While the expectations may have been unreasonably high, this was also due to the initial belief that the campaign would have sufficient teeth from the full backing of the presidency.

Malacañang said the SONA would include ‘a lot of accomplishments.’ Beyond self-praise, the President’s annual report to the nation must provide a clear direction for the next two years.

The nation faces daunting challenges, and time is running out for the President to make a difference.

The heads of the country’s biggest banks highlighted the importance of governance, integrity and financial resilience during a summit organized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The BSP’s inaugural Corporate Governance Summit was held at a time when financial institutions are navigating an increasingly complex operating environment, reinforcing the importance of governance in building resilient and future-ready organizations.

Against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, cyber threats, and increasingly interconnected markets, governance continues to emerge as a strategic imperative that extends beyond regulatory compliance.

The summit’s theme, ‘Navigating the Future: Governance in Action,’ underscores the role of effective leadership, accountability, and sound decision-making in sustaining institutional resilience.

‘As boards, we often think of governance in terms of oversight and accountability. But good governance also requires understanding the opportunities and risks shaping the future of the organization – and that begin with continuous learning, Union Bank of the Philippines president and CEO Ana Aboitiz Delgado said.

Delgado, who is also president of the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP), said ‘directors must understand technology because the same digital innovations that enable us to serve customers better, operate more efficiently, and grow our businesses also introduce new and evolving risks that boards are expected to oversee,’

Discussions at the summit highlight how digital transformation is reshaping traditional measures of resilience in the financial sector. While financial strength remains fundamental, institutions are increasingly expected to demonstrate operational reliability, data integrity, and the ability to respond effectively to disruptions in an increasingly digital environment.

Speakers note that as financial institutions accelerate their digital transformation efforts, strengthening cybersecurity capabilities has become essential to safeguarding operations and maintaining trust in the financial system.

‘As we’ve seen through financial crises and in recent years, it’s all about cybersecurity. And if you think of it, as we digitalize all our products, all our processes, that means every aspect of banking is open and vulnerable to cyber threats,’ HSBC president and BAP director Sandeep Uppal said.

The rapid adoption of digital services has likewise heightened the need for robust governance and risk management frameworks to address evolving threats, including cybercrime, fraud, and money mule activities. As trust remains the cornerstone of the financial system, protecting it requires sustained vigilance and strong oversight.

Participants also emphasized that cybersecurity, technology risk, and artificial intelligence governance have become critical board-level priorities, requiring active engagement from directors and senior executives. The summit provides a platform for industry leaders to exchange insights on strengthening governance frameworks to safeguard both individual institutions and the broader Philippine financial ecosystem.

Industry leaders likewise commend the leadership and policy direction of the BSP, emphasizing that many of the sector’s reforms and achievements have been supported by its guidance. Corporate executives also highlight how financial institutions and corporate governance initiatives continue to flourish under the environment of financial stability and policy credibility fostered by the BSP.

The event further highlights the critical importance of credible leadership in navigating economic uncertainty. Amid persistent global challenges – including inflationary pressures, market volatility, and external risks – BSP Governor Eli Remolona Jr. continues to be recognized for his transparent and pragmatic approach to policymaking, which has strengthened confidence in the country’s financial system and supported sustainable economic growth.

‘It’s important to instill confidence, a public trust in the bank. And the response has to be to adjust to new challenges,’ Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. president and BAP director Reginaldo Cariaso said.

‘You open communications, as necessary, in order to ensure that the company’s stakeholders are confident in the organization and its ability to recover from such threats,’ Cariaso said.