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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider VP Sara on state of the nation: 'Dire, sad, frustrating'

VP Sara on state of the nation: 'Dire, sad, frustrating'

Published Jun 25, 2025 05:33 pm
Although she will not attend the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by President Marcos next month, Vice President Sara Duterte has her own assessment of the country’s current state: “dire, sad, and frustrating.”

Vice President Sara Duterte faces the media on the sidelines of this year's
Vice President Sara Duterte faces the media on the sidelines of this year's "Kasarilayaan" event that celebrates Pride Month by honoring the LGBTQIA community on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. (Santi San Juan/MANILA BULLETIN)

“The state of the nation is dire, it is sad, and for me personally, it is frustrating,” she said on the sidelines of the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) “Kasarilayaan 2025” event in Pampanga on Wednesday, June 25.

“Bakit ako attend ng SONA?,” the official told reporters who covered the annual Pride reception.

Duterte also skipped the SONA last year, and came under fire for announcing herself as the “designated survivor” while the President delivered his speech in front of members of both Congress, the diplomatic corps, Cabinet members, and other high-ranking government officials.

While admittedly “frustrated at what the administration is doing,” the Vice President said she hasn’t lost hope for the Philippines.

“Oo naman, habang may buhay may pag-asa. At habang may Pilipinong naniniwala that we can be a superpower it can happen (Of course, as long as there is life and hope. And as long as there are Filipinos who believe that we can be a superpower, it can happen),” she said.

“Kasi parang sila lang ang hindi nawalan ng pag-asa (Because it seems like they are the only ones who haven’t lost hope) and they still dream for a better Philippines,” Duterte added.

Once formidable allies, Marcos and Duterte were the UniTeam tandem who secured landslide victories during the 2022 national polls.

This relationship had started to disintegrate less than a year into their respective terms, with the rift widening after the Vice President resigned as Marcos’ Department of Education (DepEd) chief in July 2024.

Thereafter, the House of Representatives, led by Speaker Martin Romualdez and many of the President’s allies, cut off the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget and led an inquiry into the alleged misuse of the confidential funds of the OVP and DepEd.

Duterte was also impeached on Feb. 5 by majority of the members of the lower chamber, and might soon face the Senate impeachment court on the basis of the House’s complaints.

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