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Tuesday, July 29, 2025 Vol. 20 No. 289
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SONA VOWS: FLOOD WORK AUDIT, BUDGET REFORM
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Despite slow inflation, prices still bite for Sona vendors
By Samuel P. Medenilla @sam_medenilla
RESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos has vowed to stop any unauthorized insertions in the 2026 General Appropriation Act, and promised more governance “changes” which are “felt” by the public, including a comprehensive review of existing flood control projects in his fourth of the State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday.
The chief executive said he will not tolerate any provisions of the 2026 national budget, which are not aligned with the priorities of his administration. He said he is even willing to ap-
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prove a re-reenacted budget if any lawmaker will commit such a violation. “For the 2026 National Budget, I will return any proposed General See “Sona,” A2
‘REENACTED BUDGET’ THREAT: ECONOMISTS, SOLONS WEIGH IN By Cai U. Ordinario and Jovee Marie N. Dela Cruz
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SKED whether the President’s threat to re-enact the 2026 budget should he find Congressional insertions that are “not part of the plan,” local economists’ opinions were mixed. Unionbank Chief Economist Ruben Carlo O. Asuncion told BusinessMirror that the President’s stern warning should be taken seriously, given the country’s “current political and economic challenges.” A rehashed budget, Asuncion
said, will definitely deal a major blow to the country’s economic and development plans and expectations. “A re-enacted budget is not what you would want, especially half-way through this administration’s term,” Asuncion said. For Ateneo de Manila University economist Leonardo Lanzona Jr., the threat of a reenacted budget is an empty one, considering the long “to do” list of the government bared by the President in his Sona. Lanzona found it contradictory that the President gave so See “Reenacted,” A2
MARCOS FACES MIDTERM CROSSROADS IN SONA 2025 Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivers his 4th State of the Nation
Address at the House of Representatives in Quezon City on Monday, July 28, 2025, confronting a series of national crises midway through his term—including the aftermath of deadly storms that displaced over 120,000 people, escalating tensions with China in the South China Sea, and a rift with Vice President Sara Duterte. About 22,000 police personnel were deployed to secure the SONA venue. Outside, progressive groups held protests along Commonwealth Avenue, setting fire to an effigy of the President and calling for higher wages, justice and VP Duterte’s impeachment. AP/AARON FAVILA AND BM/NONIE REYES
ONDAY, July 28, marks the second month since Fe Suan Atejada opened her modest meat stall in a small talipapa along Kasaysayan Street in Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City. Coincidentally, this fell on the same day President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona). But instead of celebrating her shop, Atejada finds herself caught between frustrated customers and rising costs she can barely manage. “Prices never went back to what they used to be,” Atejada said, explaining how pork that once sold for P120 per kilo now fetches P330 to P340. “Customers complain, but I tell them—if it’s hard for you, it’s even harder for us sellers.” Based on the latest price monitoring from the Department of Agriculture (DA), a kilo of kasim (pork shoulder) now retails for an average of P379.78, while liempo (pork belly) sells for P430.78. This stands in sharp contrast to the agency’s proposed price range for imported pork: P270 to P300 per kilo for kasim and P300 to P350 for liempo. Previous reports by this newspaper cited both the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and the DA attributing high pork prices to the continued impact of African Swine Fever (ASF), which wiped out an estimated four to five million hogs at the peak of the pandemic. Like Fe, many vendors report See “Despite,” A13
PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 56.9330 n JAPAN 0.3856 n UK 76.5293 n HK 7.2533 n CHINA 7.9427 n SINGAPORE 44.4511 n AUSTRALIA 37.4164 n EU 66.9760 n KOREA 0.0412 n SAUDI ARABIA 15.1765 Source: BSP (July 28, 2025)