In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) shortly after his inauguration in 2022, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. affirmed his belief that “the state of the nation is sound.” After a year in office, he observed in his 2023 address before Congress “the synergy of all Filipinos working together…in a whole-of nation effort.”

Last year, he concluded by quoting John Stuart Mill, the 19th century English philosopher: “Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing.”

This year’s SONA was foreshadowed by two concurrent developments: first, continuous monsoon rains and three tropical storms battered the country, thereby unleashing deadly floods and landslides; and second, a nascent political storm was sparked by the Supreme Court declaration that the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte is “unconstitutional.”

Moving toward the second half of its six-year tenure, this is the backdrop against which the Marcos administration must diligently soldier on and endeavor to craft a state of the nation that is significantly better than when it took office in June 2022.

The President is directly assisted by Cabinet secretaries and Cabinet-level advisers on important national concerns spanning Economic Development and Planning, Agriculture, Trade and Industry, National Defense and Security, Education, Energy, Health, Social Welfare, Labor and Employment, Housing and Urban Development, Interior and Local Governments, Foreign Affairs, Information and Communications Technology.

In the final analysis, the proverbial buck stops with the President as chief executive. Such is the essence of President Marcos’ burden of leadership and responsibility.

His most recent activities reflect the high-resolution focus with which he is steering the ship of state. He has been travelling across the nation to preside over the distribution of ₱20-per kilo rice, launching PhilHealth’s Enhanced Primary Care Benefit Package, visiting flood-stricken areas, and inspecting the National Resource Operation Center, the DSWD’s automated repacking facility for relief goods.

Indeed, in the fortnight before his fourth SONA, President Marcos has been addressing key domestic concerns, including flood mitigation, health care system upgrades, and continued promotion of his Bagong Pilipinas agenda — sidestepping the political drama of the now-deferred impeachment trial of his vice president.

These initiatives buttress Marcos’ mid-term agenda by harnessing US defense support to fast-track military modernization and securing expanded trade commitments to stimulate export growth.

His recent working visit to Washington, including meetings with President Donald Trump and US defense and trade officials, signals a strategic pivot designed to reinforce the Philippines’ security and economic posture in the evolving Indo-Pacific landscape.

These engagements are significant in terms of advancing the national interest in the second half of his term. He is treading a pragmatic path — seeking international leverage to support domestic reforms, modernize national defense, and stimulate inclusive economic growth. If sustained, this outward-facing yet grounded approach could help translate aspirational goals into tangible gains for the Filipino people, while positioning the Philippines as a more capable and credible regional partner.