Claire Castro urges Sara Duterte to monitor SONA, national issues closely

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Monday expressed hope that Vice President Sara Duterte will keep an eye on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) and other issues in the country, saying she seemed out of the loop about what was happening.

Castro issued the remark when asked whether she would encourage Duterte to monitor the SONA after the vice president skipped it for the third straight year.

“Alam mo sa mga bagay-bagay na ito, hindi lang SONA, sana tumutok ang bise presidente sa nangyayari talaga sa ating pamahalaan, sa ating mga kababayan kasi mukhang hindi sya updated sa lahat ng mga nangyayari kaya hindi niya alam kung ano ang mga programa ng pamahalaan,” Castro said on Unang Balita.

(You know, when it comes to these matters, not just the SONA, I hope the Vice President pays attention to what is really happening in our government and among our fellow Filipinos, because it seems she is not updated on everything that is happening, which is why she does not know what the government’s programs are.)

“At sana tumutok siya para alamin din niya ‘yung paano ba siya makakatulong sa issue ng inflation, sa issue ng pagtaass ng fuel price, sa mga bagay bagay na ang pangulo lang ang pumapansan ngayon kasi lagi po siyang wala sa bansa,” she added.

(And I hope she pays attention so that she can also find out how she can help address the issue of inflation, the issue of rising fuel prices, and other matters that the President is currently shouldering alone because she is often out of the country.)

GMA News Online has reached out to the Vice President's camp for comment and will publish their response once available.

Duterte left the country for a trip abroad from July 16 to 31, with scheduled visits to Qatar, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands.

Castro had said that Marcos’ SONA will be “simple but dignified” and will not feature celebrity directors or A-list personalities from the entertainment industry.

She said that Marcos’ rehearsal lasted for an hour and 20 minutes.

“Medyo mabilis pa ‘yun ah? So hindi natin alam kung mababago, hahaba pa, or medyo mas iiksi,” she said.

(That is still relatively quick, isn’t it? So we do not know whether it will change, become longer, or perhaps become a bit shorter.)

Report concerns

Meanwhile, Castro urged the public to report their concerns to the government.

“Hindi natin masasabi na lahat ng bawat Pilipino talaga ay nararating ng tulong ng pangulo at ng administrasyon. So kung meron pa kayong ibang concern kasi baka meron nga talagang mga lugar na hindi napapansin o nakikita, mas maganda po talaga na makarating ang inyong mga hinaing,” she said.

(We cannot say that every Filipino is truly reached by the assistance provided by the President and the administration. So if you have other concerns, because there may indeed be places that are being overlooked or not noticed, it would be best for your concerns to be brought forward.)

“‘Yan po ay welcome sa pangulo, ‘yan po ay tinatanggap ng pangulo, para po malaman din po natin kung meron pa po bang dapat idagdag na mga ayuda at mga tulong sa ating mga kababayan,” she added.

(That is welcome to the President, and the President accepts that, so that we can also determine whether there are additional forms of assistance and aid that should be provided to our fellow Filipinos.)

READ: Marcos SONA 2026: Promises made, delivered, expectations, and everything you need to know

— RSJ, GMA News