A recent example of political rhetoric on education can be found in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), where he declared education as a national priority and emphasized teacher training reform and digital transformation in schools. Nearly 20% of the national budget was allocated to the education sector — a promising step toward addressing learning gaps and improving quality.

However, while the message is strong, the substance remains limited. The speech highlighted goals but offered few concrete strategies to tackle persistent issues like overcrowded classrooms, unequal access to digital tools, and low literacy rates. Without clear implementation plans, such rhetoric risks sounding aspirational rather than actionable.

For true progress, policy must move beyond vision statements and ensure equity, inclusion, and measurable outcomes that reach all Filipino learners.