Sen. Pia Cayetano said Tuesday that the Philippines’ upper-middle-income status is difficult to celebrate when most Filipinos do not feel an improvement in their lives, as she questioned whether the country’s progress mentioned in President Marcos’ fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday was translating into better lives for Filipino families.
‘It is very difficult to take pride in and explain that we are an upper-middle-income country when most Filipinos do not actually feel its benefits,’ Cayetano said in a privilege speech a day after Marcos delivered his Sona.
She explained that the classification, recognized early July by the World Bank, reflects the country’s economic size rather than individual household income, noting that many Filipinos are minimum wage earners, earning below minimum wage, or working in the informal sector.
Cayetano cited surveys showing that 42 percent of Filipino families consider themselves food-poor, while 23.2 percent experienced involuntary hunger in the first quarter of 2026.
‘So when we celebrate our status as an upper-middle-income country, people feel that you do not see us; you do not hear us… You do not feel the hardships we are going through,’ she said.
Cayetano said she has never celebrated the country nearing upper-middle-income status despite hearing about the prospect for years.
PH lagging in SDGs
Cayetano, who chairs the Senate committee on sustainable development goals, innovation and futures thinking, also noted that the Philippines is lagging in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
She said only 10 of the 17 SDGs have shown progress since 2015, with eight moving too slowly to meet their targets by 2030.
Furthermore, Cayetano added that the country is moving backward on two goals: good health and well-being, and sustainable cities and communities.
Reflecting on the accomplishments presented during Marcos’ Sona, Cayetano then asked, ‘Are Filipino families truly living better lives?’