PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. gets a "passing grade" during the first three years of his administration, a political analyst said when asked about the Chief Executive's performance on Saturday.

Dr. Froilan Calilung, who teaches political science at the University of Santo Tomas, said he gave Marcos a 6 of 10 rating, noting that the President has only been in office for two years.

"Well, we have to look at it from different aspects... You have to compartmentalize him: the President in relation to his economic pursuits, the President in relation to how he was able to solve some socio-political dilemmas or the President how he was able to navigate the various divisive issues in his government," Calilung told The Manila Times in a phone interview.

Youth leaders under the Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (ABKD) stage a pre-SONA peace rally at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on July 20, 2024, during which they presented the score cards of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and China in relation to the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes. Rodolfo 'RJ' Villena Jr., ABKD convenor and spokesman, said youth leaders gave President Marcos a score of 90 percent for asserting the sovereign rights of the country over the West Philippine Sea while they gave China 70 percent for disrespecting the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and for employing 'bullying tactics' against Philippine vessels. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Youth leaders under the Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (ABKD) stage a pre-SONA peace rally at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on July 20, 2024, during which they presented the score cards of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and China in relation to the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes. Rodolfo 'RJ' Villena Jr., ABKD convenor and spokesman, said youth leaders gave President Marcos a score of 90 percent for asserting the sovereign rights of the country over the West Philippine Sea while they gave China 70 percent for disrespecting the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and for employing 'bullying tactics' against Philippine vessels. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Youth leaders under the Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (ABKD) stage a pre-SONA peace rally at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on July 20, 2024, during which they presented the score cards of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and China in relation to the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes. Rodolfo 'RJ' Villena Jr., ABKD convenor and spokesman, said youth leaders gave President Marcos a score of 90 percent for asserting the sovereign rights of the country over the West Philippine Sea while they gave China 70 percent for disrespecting the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and for employing 'bullying tactics' against Philippine vessels. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Youth leaders under the Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (ABKD) stage a pre-SONA peace rally at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on July 20, 2024, during which they presented the score cards of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and China in relation to the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes. Rodolfo 'RJ' Villena Jr., ABKD convenor and spokesman, said youth leaders gave President Marcos a score of 90 percent for asserting the sovereign rights of the country over the West Philippine Sea while they gave China 70 percent for disrespecting the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and for employing 'bullying tactics' against Philippine vessels. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE Youth leaders under the Alyansa Bantay Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran (ABKD) stage a pre-SONA peace rally at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City on July 20, 2024, during which they presented the score cards of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and China in relation to the West Philippine Sea territorial disputes. Rodolfo 'RJ' Villena Jr., ABKD convenor and spokesman, said youth leaders gave President Marcos a score of 90 percent for asserting the sovereign rights of the country over the West Philippine Sea while they gave China 70 percent for disrespecting the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and for employing 'bullying tactics' against Philippine vessels. PHOTO BY JOHN ORVEN VERDOTE

"So far, the way I see it, I think I would give him, since he's on his third year in office, maybe 6 out of 10 now, considering that there were some, I think, important legislative measures that were not yet fulfilled," he added.

Calilung said "we don't see a strong and solid legislation or policy that really affected, you know, a great deal of the majority of Filipinos."

"I'm not saying though that he is not working, but maybe he needs a better laying out of platforms, policies and concrete programs for us," he said.

The analyst made an assessment ahead of Marcos' third State of the Nation Address (SONA) before a joint session of Congress at the Batasang Pambansa complex in Quezon City on Monday.

Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil said Radio Television Malacañang would direct Marcos' third SONA.

Article 7, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution requires the President to "address the Congress at the opening of its regular session."

Priority measures

Calilung said he wanted to hear Marcos talk about the issues that were laid down as priority measures from his last SONA.

"I want to see the success rate, how they were able to accomplish them, what were the shortcomings because we don't talk about SONA as something that you know will only magnify all the positives," he said.

Calilung also said he wanted a SONA that was "sincere and humble enough to accept that there are some things that were not attained or that were not fulfilled."

"I think that will resonate better with the public. It is not the SONA that will be presented to us with only superlatives, which is the opposite of what we see and experience today," he added.

Calilung said among the topics that he would like to hear from the President's speech would be the aspect of economic context, particularly in combating inflation.

The analyst pointed out how the economic aspect was associated with agriculture self-sufficiency, including food security and monetary and fiscal policies to ensure that there would be no spike in inflation.

He also noted that the inflation rate did not decrease, but the sudden spike in the inflation rate was contained.

Calilung said that another important issue that the President should discuss is the current status of the minimum wage in the country.

The government approved a P35 increase in the National Capital Region, where it was criticized as an "insult" citing the Family Living Wage of P1,200 to survive each day.

"It would be better if we hear not just the policies, but also the concrete programs because sometimes there are policies, legislations, they exist on paper, but in reality, its transmission to those we call marginalized becomes a problem," he added.

Calilung said it was important to focus on inflation because "it would increase public confidence and investor confidence, which is, in the long run, important in creating more jobs."

He also sees the topic of education be discussed when former senator Juan Edgard "Sonny" Angara was appointed as the Education chief after Vice President Sara Duterte resigned from the post.

The political analyst said that another "focal point of consideration" is territorial sovereignty, particularly in the West Philippine Sea, which he believes is "the meat of his foreign policy for the past year."

For Calilung, we should see the "gains" of his foreign trips and what translated into actions, not just pledges.

Marcos should also tackle corruption, communist insurgency, drugs, and petty street crimes, Calilung said, adding that such issues are the ones the Filipinos are expecting to hear from him.