Tacloban Youth Lead Counter-SONA, Raise Concerns Over Hunger, Accountability

Posted on July 27, 2026 at 3:15 pm

TACLOBAN CITY — Hours before President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered his State of the Nation Address (SONA), hundreds of young activists gathered at RTR Plaza in Tacloban City, saying they refused to let the President’s speech be the only story told that day.

Carrying streamers and placards, members of youth organizations and progressive groups held a Counter-SONA, using the gathering to raise concerns over hunger, unemployment, and what they described as the government’s failure to address the needs of ordinary Filipinos.

For Kevin Maestre of Kabataan Party-list, the youth have a responsibility to speak up, especially when they believe people’s voices are being ignored.

“The youth have always been part of movements that demanded change,” Maestre said.

“That responsibility did not end with previous generations; it continues today.”

He said students should not stay silent while many families continue to struggle with rising prices, joblessness, and food insecurity.

The rally also gave the floor to community leaders, who pointed to the continuing hardships faced by residents in Eastern Visayas.

Kyle Domequil of Katungod Sinirangan Visayas said it was difficult to accept that hunger remains widespread in Samar and Leyte despite the region’s agricultural potential.

She said discussions about economic growth mean little to families who still struggle to put food on the table or send their children to school.

“The reality is different for many people here,” Domequil said.

“Many are still unemployed, many are still hungry.”

Speakers also criticized the influence of political dynasties in the region, particularly the Romualdez family.

During the program, Domequil repeated allegations involving supposed “ghost flood control projects” linked to House Speaker Martin Romualdez, claiming public funds were not reaching communities that needed them.

As the program came to a close, protesters said they expected little from the President’s SONA and instead urged the public to pay attention to the stories shared during their own People’s Forum.

For the young protesters who filled RTR Plaza that morning, the gathering was more than a demonstration. They said it was a reminder that many Filipinos, especially the youth, continue to demand answers about the country’s future and their place in it.

Photo by: Jazmin Bonifacio | Vanguard