Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Sunday urged Filipinos to look beyond politics as they assess President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).
In a Facebook livestream on July 26, 2026, a day before the SONA, Cayetano encouraged both supporters and critics of the President to watch the annual address with an open mind.
“Doon sa mga pro-Marcos, walang problema, manood po tayo. Doon sa anti-Marcos, manood pa rin po tayo. Bakit? Kasi siya po ang ating Pangulo. State of the Nation… ibig sabihin po [tatalakayin kung] ano kalagayan ng ating bansa,” he said.
Cayetano said following national issues is part of loving one’s country, stressing that citizens cannot genuinely care for the nation without understanding what is happening in it.
“If you love your nation, you have to be updated,” he said.
He likened it to belonging to a community, saying people cannot claim to care about their barangay, homeowners’ association, or alma mater without knowing the issues affecting them.
“Hindi mo pwedeng sabihin mahal mo y’ung barangay pero wala kang alam sa barangay mo. So ganoon din sa ating bayan,” Cayetano said.
The Minority Leader said Filipinos should evaluate the President’s message on its own merits instead of allowing political preferences to dictate their reactions.
“Don’t look at the messenger, look at the message. So, don’t look at the President… Let’s look at his message tomorrow at saan [tayo] nag-agree at saan hindi nag-agree,” he said.
Cayetano said he would also welcome the public’s honest assessment after the SONA, saying he hopes to incorporate their views into his own discussion of the President’s address.
“After the SONA tomorrow, send comments. I’ll try to have a short vlog para kung ano’ng gusto ninyong isama. But give me your honest assessment,” he said.