SENATE Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Sunday said the discussion following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) should focus on solutions instead of simply identifying the country’s problems.
Speaking in a Facebook livestream on August 2, 2026, Cayetano likened the SONA to a medical consultation, saying identifying the country’s challenges is only the first step and should be followed by concrete action.
“After the SONA, ano ang kasunod doon? Mga solusyon, ‘di ba? Kasi when you say ‘state of the nation,’ parang pumunta ka sa doktor. Una, malalaman kung ano ang sakit. Pangalawa, ano ang gamot,” he said.
Cayetano said acknowledging the country’s problems is necessary because finding solutions begins with recognizing the truth.
“Truth is the beginning, the starting point,” he said.
The Minority Leader also called on Filipinos to take an active role in nation-building, saying good governance must be matched by responsible citizenship.
“The government should always give the best. But meron din tayong mga responsibility… As we demand the best from the government, we also have to demand that we be responsible as a community and ask ourselves what we can do,” he said.
Cayetano said building stronger communities begins with faith and collective action.
“There are different ways, pero ang pinaka-powerful na way diyan ay surrender to God, pray, magbuo ng communities, at tanungin sa Panginoon kung ano ang ating mga next step as a community,” he said.
He emphasized that citizens should continue to stand for the truth, saying he himself is ready to pay the price for fighting for what is right.
“Handa tayo sa mga kaso. Kung talagang ikukulong nila, eh di ikukulong. But that doesn’t mean we will volunteer (to be jailed). Siyempre ilalaban natin y’ung katotohanan,” Cayetano said.
