MANILA, Philippines — More than 120 rounds of applause and two standing ovations marked the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with a surprising announcement to ban the operations of all Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) in the country.
His speech at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon on Monday lasted an hour and 22 minutes, slightly longer than last year’s one hour and 11 minutes.
Congressmen, Senators, Former President, Law Enforcement officials and other VIP’s are seen arriving at the South Wing red carpet entrance of the House of Representatives during President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Quezon City, on 22 July 2024. (PHOTO: MIKE ALQUINTO)
At the end of his report to the nation, Marcos drew cheers from attendees as he finally addressed calls to ban POGOs, which have been linked to criminal activities like crypto scams, torture and human trafficking.
“Effective today, all POGOs are banned,” Marcos said, prompting a standing ovation from lawmakers and guests.
A loud applause as well as chants of “BBM! BBM! BBM!” also filled the House of Representatives’ plenary hall following this announcement.
Saying he had heard public clamor against POGOs, Marcos instructed the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation “to wind down and cease the operations of POGOs by the end of the year.”
The President also earned another standing ovation and the loudest cheers from his audience when declared that the West Philippine Sea is no mere “figment of imagination” — a statement that reflects the Philippines’ continued assertion of its sovereign rights over the disputed waters after a year of flaring tensions with China.
“The Philippines cannot yield. The Philippines cannot waver,” the President said.
“West Philippine Sea is not merely a figment of our imagination. It is ours. And it will remain ours, as long as the spirit of our beloved country, the Philippines, continues to burn,” he added.
The President’s third is the first since the Marcos administration firmed up its policy in the West Philippine Sea – to be more assertive in upholding its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims.
In his first SONA in 2022, Marcos promised he would “not preside over any process that will abandon even one square inch of territory of the Republic of the Philippines to any foreign power.”
Last year, the President promised to “protect our sovereign rights and preserve our territorial integrity, in defense of a rules-based international order.”
Apart from POGOs and the West Philippine Sea, the President’s third SONA also focused on issues such as high prices, unemployment, benefits for teachers and government employees, war on drugs, among others.
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