MANILA, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos confirmed on Monday that she, along with fellow senators Bong Go, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, and Robin Padilla, will not be attending President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2025.
In a brief statement, Senator Marcos did not elaborate on the reason for their absence but indicated that the decision was mutual among the four senators.
The announcement comes just hours before the President is scheduled to deliver his annual address before Congress. The planned absence of the four lawmakers has sparked speculation regarding internal dynamics within the administration and among its allies in the Senate.
Senators Go, Dela Rosa, and Padilla have been known supporters of the Duterte administration and have at times expressed differing views from the current administration on key issues.
As of this writing, the Senate has not released an official comment on their planned non-attendance. It remains unclear whether the absence is a form of political statement or due to scheduling and personal matters.
President Marcos is expected to outline his legislative priorities and report on the state of the nation before a joint session of Congress later today.
