Here are events and initiatives organized by progressive groups, civil society organizations, and business groups ahead of SONA 2026
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 27.
Various groups are coming together to amplify sectoral concerns and encourage public engagement in the lead-up to and on the day of the SONA.
These activities include protests, community gatherings, forums, cultural events, and more, both in the Philippines and abroad. Below is a list of these activities:
Refresh this page for updates as more event details are announced.
Protests
A day before SONA, on Sunday, July 26, the Kabataan Partylist–National Capital Region will hold a State of the Youth Address 2026 at the IFI National Cathedral Conference Hall, Manila.
The ceremony will gather youth groups, student councils, campus publications, organizations, and student leaders from Metro Manila to raise calls on education, accountability, and social concerns, as young advocates assert their role in shaping the country’s future.
Meanwhile, around 10,000 protesters are expected to converge outside the Batasang Pambansa on Monday, July 27, as the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and its allied people’s organizations stage their annual People’s State of the Nation Address.
The program will begin at 12 pm along Commonwealth Avenue, followed by a 2 pm march to Saint Peter Parish, where multisectoral groups will hold what they describe as the country’s “real state of the nation.”
Panday Sining UP Diliman will be preparing for the protest through banner and effigy-making operations at the Student Union Building (SUB) in UP Diliman, Quezon City from July 15 to July 25.
The Philippine Medical Students’ Association is also recruiting volunteer medics for the People’s SONA, calling on medical and health science students to provide first aid during the mobilization.
Forums
Quezon City | The UP National College of Public Administration and Governance (NCPAG) is conducting a forum titled, “
SONA ALL! Stocktaking of PBBM’s SONA Promises from 2022-2025” on Friday, July 24 at the UP NCPAG AVR in Diliman, Quezon City from 1 pm to 5 pm. The discussion aims to examine the promises made by Marcos during past SONAs.
Online
Gabriela Youth – Muntinlupa and Kabataan Partylist – Muntinlupa is organizing a discussion on “
Flood and Blood: The Cost of Corruption” at 1 pm on Friday, July 24, to tackle the critical national developments surrounding public accountability in the context of the ongoing impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte and the core issues of President Marcos’ SONA.
The European Chamber Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) is organizing the “
ECCP Post-SONA Business and Policy Analysis” on Tuesday, July 28, from 2 pm to 4 pm to provide post-SONA insights into the President’s key policy directions and their implications for businesses, investments, and different industries.
Local, sectoral activities
Quezon City
Indigenous women from 20 communities across the Philippines will gather for the National Indigenous Women Gathering 2026 from July 25 to 29. Led by LILAK (Purple Action for Indigenous Women’s Rights), the gathering will consolidate calls for accountability and justice over the plunder of resources and the continuing attacks on land and environment women human rights defenders. Participants will cap the gathering by joining the mobilization on July 27 and holding a community watch party in the afternoon.
LILAK is also leading an alliance of progressive groups alongside Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM) and In Defense of Human Rights and Dignity Movement (IDEFEND), for a protest action outside the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Central Office on Monday, July 27, at 9 am, calling for accountability over corruption, environmental destruction, and policies they say have deepened poverty.
Vandals United is staging a “
Streets of the Nation Attack” protest with a community of skaters, graffiti artists, writers, and musicians at the Commission on Human Rights, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on Monday, July 27, at 9 am. It aims to highlight issues of poverty, education, job security, land grabbing, and workers’ rights under the current administration.
Lapu-Lapu City | The Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) Cebu Chapter is hosting an exhibition from July 24 until August 14 at the Lapu-Lapu Art Gallery. Dubbed, “
Same Old, Same Old: The State of the Nation, the exhibition brings together works from four political poster exhibitions mounted between 2023 and 2026, revisiting campaigns and artistic responses to issues affecting ordinary Filipinos.
Pangasinan | Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment and other environmental advocates are hosting their “
State of the Pangasinan Environment” on Saturday, July 25. This initiative is set to discuss concerns including black sand mining in Lingayen Gulf, plastic pollution in the Agno River-Delta, threats of a proposed nuclear plant in Labrador, and land-use conversion affecting agricultural lands.
Manila City | The Youth for Nationalism and Democracy – PUP is organizing
“Ano ang gusto mong marinig sa SONA 2026?” (What do you want to hear in SONA 2026), a protest calling for government accountability. The mobilization will take place at 7 am on July 27 at Mendiola Bridge in Manila.
Nueva Vizcaya | Indigenous peoples, people’s organizations, church groups, and environmental advocates are also staging a
People’s SONA on July 27, calling for the cancellation of the 4,456-hectare exploration permit granted to North Luzon Mineral Resources Corporation in Kasibu over threats to the province’s environment and livelihood.
Overseas mobilizations
British Columbia | Sulong University of British Columbia (UBC), a youth organization based in Canada, is organizing a
People’s State of the Nation Address for overseas Filipinos on Sunday, July 26 from 2 pm to 4 pm, at Metrotown Station in Burnaby. The rally aims to encourage overseas Filipinos to use their voice and speak out against the massive corruption and human rights violations. In a statement, Sulong UBC cites Marcos Jr.’s recent visit to Canada as a reminder for Filipinos abroad of the struggles faced by Filipinos in the Philippines.
Berlin | ALPAS Pilipinas, a political organization working to support the Filipino community in Berlin, is also staging its own
People’s State of the Nation Address 2026 at the Philippine embassy in Berlin, Germany on July 27 at 6 pm. The group expresses its support for workers, migrants, the youth, and all those resisting exploitation, oppression, and injustice.
Melbourne | BAYAN Australia along with other Filipino organizations is also organizing “
People’s SONA Rally: What is the true state of the Filipinos Abroad” on Sunday, July 26, to draw attention to the true state of Filipinos abroad, effects of the Pax Silica initiative, and the rights and demands of Filipinos from the government. Protesters are expected to gather at the Melbourne Town Hall and will march to the Philippine Consulate.
Do you know of other SONA-related protests or activities, or want to stay updated on SONA 2026? Join the Rappler Communities #PhilippinePolitics chatroom to share them, help keep this list updated, and follow real-time developments as they happen. – with reports from Francine Lauron, James Caponpon, and Rae Goco / Rappler.com
Rae Goco is a Rappler volunteer from Ateneo de Manila University. She is an incoming junior taking up AB Communication with a focus on the program’s Journalism track. She currently serves as the Features Editor of The GUIDON.
Francine Lauron is a Rappler volunteer from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She is an incoming senior taking up a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies.
James Caponpon is a Rappler volunteer from Ateneo de Manila University. He is an incoming junior taking up Bachelor of Arts in Communication, specializing in Journalism and Image and Sound Production. He is currently the Managing Editor of Matanglawin Ateneo.
