Five minority senators, including Alan Peter Cayetano, plan to skip President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), according to reports from Philstar.com and SunStar Publishing Inc.
The boycott involves lawmakers from the minority bloc. Philstar.com reports that Cayetano and other minority members will not attend the address. SunStar Publishing Inc. confirms that five minority senators are set to be absent from the event.
More than half of the 24 senators were absent from Marcos’s previous SONA, according to Inquirer.net. The Daily Tribune, citing Cayetano, reports that the senator has described the Philippines as nearing an “undeclared martial law” under the current administration. BusinessMirror, meanwhile, notes that there are more people interested in listening to the President’s SONA.
The decision to boycott the 2026 address comes amid ongoing political tensions between the minority bloc and the administration. The absent senators have not publicly detailed their reasons for skipping the event, but the move signals continued opposition to Marcos’s policies.
Observers will watch for the administration’s response to the boycott and whether other lawmakers will join the protest.
