Labor coalition Sentro criticized President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) for focusing on financial assistance while leaving out key labor reforms such as ending contractualization and legislating a nationwide wage increase.
In a statement following Marcos’ Sona on Monday, July 27, Sentro said job fairs and short-term employment programs could provide immediate assistance but were not substitutes for secure employment.
‘President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address was long on ayuda but short on the structural reforms that working Filipinos have long demanded,’ Sentro said.
‘The President said nothing about ending contractualization, legislating a meaningful nationwide wage increase, establishing a robust public employment program, or pursuing a genuine industrial policy that can generate quality jobs and rebuild domestic industries,’ it added.
Sentro said programs such as job fairs and TUPAD ‘may provide temporary relief, but they cannot substitute for stable, secure, and productive employment.’
The coalition nevertheless welcomed the proposed expansion of income tax exemptions for the middle class but called for a wealth tax and other progressive fiscal measures.
It also welcomed plans to expand PhilHealth benefits and coverage, while saying these should be accompanied by sustained public funding for PhilHealth and the public health system.
‘Expanding benefits must be matched by a firm commitment to fully fund PhilHealth and strengthen the public health system,’ Sentro said.
On energy, the coalition backed Marcos’ commitment to renewable energy and proposed amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) aimed at stopping system losses from being passed on to consumers.
Sentro however, opposed the administration’s renewed push for nuclear power, citing concerns over dependence on imported technology, fuel and expertise, as well as radioactive waste management.
‘Ultimately, the President’s speech offered relief but not transformation. It expanded assistance but avoided the hard reforms needed to address the roots of poverty, inequality, and economic insecurity,’ the coalition said.