As SONA nears, Senator Cayetano pushes for SANA, 'Stewarding A National Agenda'

With President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) just days away, Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano called for a "national agenda" that prioritizes issues affecting ordinary Filipinos over partisan political disputes.

During an online broadcast on Friday, Cayetano said the country should rally around common goals instead of allowing political divisions to dictate the national conversation.

Drawing from a television program's play on the words "SONA" and "sana," Cayetano offered his own interpretation of the acronym, saying it should stand for "Stewarding A National Agenda."

According to him, such an agenda reflects priorities that Filipinos can collectively support regardless of political affiliation.

Among the concerns he believes should unite the country are lowering electricity rates and addressing the rising cost of living, which he said directly affect the daily lives of millions of Filipinos.

Cayetano also announced that the Senate Minority Bloc would present its own response following the President's SONA and appealed to the public for suggestions on what issues should be tackled during the opposition's Kontra-SONA.

"Trabaho ng minority leader sa Senado, o anyone sa opposition, ay magbigay ng ‘kontra-SONA,’" Cayetano said. "But I want to crowdsource it. Napakarami niyo na rin na bahagi ng aking Facebook page. Ano ang mga dapat nating pag-usapan sa ‘kontra-SONA?’"

Beyond policy priorities, Cayetano said pursuing a national agenda also requires accountability from public officials, stressing that leaders must be willing to hold themselves and those close to them to the same standards they expect from others.

He likewise underscored the importance of personal responsibility, saying genuine progress begins when people choose to do the right thing even without being monitored.

"Ang nangyayari sa atin, ‘pag walang bantay, bahala na. Pero ‘pag may bantay, susunod tayo. Dapat kahit walang nakatingin, tama y’ung ating ginagawa," he said.

Cayetano expressed hope that the country could achieve meaningful change by working toward shared national goals while fostering a stronger sense of responsibility among both government officials and the public.