SONA 2025: The Rich Were Praised, the Poor Were Helped, and the Middle Class Was Forgotten (Again)
President Marcos’ 4th State of the Nation Address was filled with numbers, promises, and applause lines. He talked about growth, foreign investment, and how millions of Filipinos were lifted from poverty.
“We logged ₱950 billion and ₱45.48 billion in investment pledges in the first half of 2024.”
“Almost ₱3 trillion worth of green-lane certified projects are underway.”
— SONA 2025
The government proudly celebrated the rich bringing in capital and the poor receiving assistance. And that’s not a bad thing. It’s good that we’re attracting investors and helping those most in need.
“2.5 million Filipinos have been lifted from poverty.”
“1.7 million fewer Filipinos can’t afford food.”
— SONA 2025
But let’s be honest about who was left out. Again.
🧍♀️🧍♂️The middle class.
The ones working overtime to fund those very investments.
The ones paying full taxes with no ayuda, no subsidies, no exemptions.
The ones who carry this economy but get nothing in return.
No tax breaks. No public praise. No targeted programs.
We’re just expected to keep paying—and keep quiet.
Meanwhile, the rich have exemptions. They know how to work the system. And the poor, as they should, get support.
But us? We get billed.
We’re not against helping the poor. We’re not against encouraging investment. But we are against a system that feeds and funds everyone except the people holding it together.
Let’s talk about 4Ps. Yes, it’s helped a lot of families. But let’s not pretend the system isn’t flawed. Many of us know people receiving government support who are living better than those working 9 to 6 jobs every day just to get by. Some even have cars and small businesses, while we’re still calculating our grocery budget down to the last peso.
We’re not asking for handouts—we’re asking for balance.
Because when you keep handing people fish without teaching them how to fish, no one moves forward. And the people who already know how to fish? We’re drowning in silence, because we’re never even acknowledged.
We’re the ones who file taxes on time.
Who don’t qualify for anything.
Who get told “you’re not poor, be grateful.”
But in this economy? That line is getting blurry real fast.
“Poverty went down,” they said.
But what they didn’t say is that the middle class is sliding closer to it every day.
We’re not just tired—we’re invisible.
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📢 So here’s our SONA:
We are the taxed.
The tired.
The ones who get no credit but pay for everyone else’s.
We’re not the elite.
We’re not the underserved.
We’re the ones in between—and we’re falling through the cracks.
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Reblog if you feel this.
Comment if you’re tired of being ignored.
Because the middle class deserves to be seen, too.