ANALYSIS: Marcos’ SONA 2025 body language, tone, and how he used ‘hiya’ as a tool to connect to Filipinos
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s fourth State of the Nation Address, like he hinted at days ahead, was indeed different from the past ones.
His latest SONA was not only his shortest yet, lasting just one hour and 10 minutes, but also considered by experts his most modest, admitting his administration’s shortcomings, and his most assertive, openly condemning alleged corruption in the government.
Moreover, it’s also the first time that he delivered his speech in mostly Filipino, a few stutters notwithstanding.
Experts in communication, behavior, and politics spoke with PhilSTAR L!fe and broke down the elements of the president’s fourth SONA, reviewing his rhetoric, content, delivery, and body language, among other things.
Prepared, confident
Speech coach Lloyd Luna noted that Marcos was “stiff” and “hard” in his past SONAs but is more expressive this time, signaling that he’s more prepared while also trying to be more relatable to people.
“He used his hands, many times with open palms when enumerating, and his arms extended when making a point or conveying a timeline. He used his facial expressions to support his spoken words, too,” he said, adding that his body language was “dynamic” and “calculated.”
Psychologist Lucille Lozano pointed out that Marcos looked “prepared” and “confident” as he maintained an “upright, composed posture,” with him consistently using his right hand to “support emphasis during key points, potentially indicating assertiveness.”
“His open-arm gestures aligned with attempts to convey transparency and openness to the public,” she said.
Lozano added that his delivery was “generally fluent and well-rehearsed,” with the initial part of the SONA being “continuous, suggesting strong memorization and clarity of message.”
“However, minor stuttering and Tagalog repetitions were observed,” she added, “which may suggest either stress on certain topics or natural speech dynamics under high-pressure delivery.”
Sociologist Louie Checa Montemar, meanwhile, observed that Marcos’ delivery was “generally bland and measured,” which signaled projection of confidence and control, and conveyed “a desire to appear non-confrontational.”
He described Marcos as “a leader prioritizing stability over fiery rhetoric,” adding that he “appeared well-rehearsed but not very at ease.”
“I counted 22 times that the President mispronounced or failed to properly read or deliver his script,” he said.
His most human, relatable SONA
For Luna, Marcos’ fourth SONA was the “most human and grounded” among all his addresses.
Luna noted how the President did away with his use of complex English and economic numbers for an “intelligent” SONA. Instead, he opted to address the masses and acknowledge his failures right off the bat, making it his “most relatable” one to date.
In just the first few seconds of his SONA, Marcos congratulated the youth voters in the May 12 midterm elections, before calling for unity due to three common denominators: being a Filipino, patriotism, and sworn duty. He then expressed the people’s criticisms of his government out loud.
“It can be seen as a class act. Mahirap sa isang leader and umamin ng pagkukulang. He did it and it commanded the audience to ask in their mind: So, ano kaya ang gagawin niya na next? Na-engage ‘yung listeners,” he said.
Lozano pointed out that Marcos demonstrated “insight into public sentiment by acknowledging dissatisfaction and emphasizing faster government response.”
“It showed a notable shift in communication style compared to his previous addresses,” she said. “While his previous SONAs were characterized by emotional restraint, formal posture, and a technical, data-heavy delivery, his fourth one featured increased vocal variation, more expressive gestures, and heightened emotional intensity, especially when addressing moral issues like corruption.”
Moreover, Marcos’ focus on rice, the country’s staple food, was his means of resonating with more Filipinos.
“He used the basic need as a foundation of his speech instead of economic jargon and hard facts, which ordinary people can’t and won’t understand,” Luna said.
The speech expert also took note of Marcos’s “conversational” attempts in his SONA, such as when he told the crowd, “Naaalala pa ba ninyo ‘yung tinatawag nating Love Bus?”
Lozano, meanwhile, pointed out that Marcos “frequently made direct eye contact with lawmakers, officials, and the public,” which projected openness “that fostered a personal connection and made listeners feel acknowledged,” as well as help “create a sense of sincerity and urgency that resonated with an audience sensitive to issues like corruption and economic difficulties.”
With that, Luna said Marcos has evolved from being a technocratic leader to one who blends emotional engagement and accountability.
Montemar noted that Marcos connected with the audience by emphasizing tangible achievements and especially making an emphatic call to combat corruption.
Still, he noted that the SONA was still “largely technocratic and data-driven” in some parts, which showed efforts to “frame governance as results-oriented.”
“[He] also avoided deeply contentious issues, which is telling of the political balancing act his administration continues to navigate,” he added.
Deliberate use of Filipino, ‘shaming'
The experts highlighted how Marcos deliberately used Filipino to be understood better.
For Luna, Marcos’ “plain and easy-to-understand” usage of Filipino for the most part was “superb,” taking note of his so-called principle of vernacularity in which people “listen best to the language they understand best.”
Lozano told L!fe that using Tagalog, especially in a formal speech, "enhances relatability and strengthens perceived authenticity,” she said, adding that from a psychological standpoint, it was greatly felt in parts that were “morally charged,” like the suspected corruption in flood control projects.
Serving as the highlight of his SONA, Marcos said, to much applause and cheers, “Kaya sa mga nakikipagsabwatan upang kunin ang pondo ng bayan at nakawin ang kinabukasan ng ating mga mamamayan, mahiya naman kayo sa inyong kapwa Pilipino! Mahiya naman kayo sa mga kabahayan nating naanod o nalubog sa mga pagbaha. Mahiya naman kayo lalo sa mga anak natin na magmamana sa mga utang na ginawa ninyo, na binulsa niyo lang ang pera!”
For Lozano, this was where Marcos tapped into our shared cultural identity and values, with language being “not just a communication tool” but one that “carries emotional and cultural weight.”
Luna, meanwhile, noted that with Marcos explicitly mentioning the “open secret” that is the shame or failure of governance, his speech, by itself, gets the benefit of “owning the mistakes” yet still being able to “get away” with it. That makes it ultimately better rather than not mentioning the issue at all.
“Add in the mix the forgiving nature of Filipinos, so it’s a slam dunk in one way or another,” he added.
Political analyst Froi Calilung said that through the “hiya” part of the SONA, Marcos was invoking a sense of uprightness and prudence among government officials.
“I think the President would want to seriously appeal to the very ethos and character as well as value systems from everyone,” Calilung said.
And with Marcos sticking with Filipino, he “echoed the language of the ordinary people, almost spoke on their behalf,” as well as became the “mouthpiece” of the public, especially in the “mahiya” part.
Calilung also believes that with Marcos’ use of Tagalog and shaming, he “appealed directly to the hearts and minds of the people amid “the divisiveness that has beleaguered his administration, at least for the past two years.”
Formality, urgency, with some sense of humor
Lozano noted that Marcos started his SONA with a monotone, which “may reflect formality or an effort to remain neutral and composed.” But as it progressed, Marcos demonstrated “greater intonation,” especially on the part when he called on the international business community to invest in the Philippines.
When Marcos talked about bolstering the country’s sports sector, Lozano noted that he showed a tremble in his voice, which suggested “emotional resonance or vulnerability.”
She also observed a “slower, more serious tone” when discussing discipline and waste management, as well as the aftermath of the rains and floods compounded by suspected corruption, “potentially aiming to highlight urgency and responsibility.”
For Montemar, however, this year's SONA was bland "in the sense that it doesn't present a clear framework for sustainable development that is inclusive and rights-based."
"Beyond a rather trite call for unity or cooperation and discipline, the SONA does not inspire or tickle the national imagination as to how the government will push growth and development further," he told L!fe. "It does not seem to be informed by any comprehensive theory of national development. In short, mababaw."
Luna commended Marcos for showing some sense of humor in the middle of it all. When he enumerated the country’s award-winning athletes, he ended it with the name of Police Chief Nicolas Torre (as an allusion to the supposed boxing match against Davao City acting mayor Baste Duterte), drawing much laughter from the crowd.
“New and fresh pa ‘yung issue, so it was a great engagement strategy. He never did that kind of humor in his previous speeches,” he said. “It made the crowd go wild and provided the needed energy to sustain an engaging address until the end.”
Amid the tender and lighthearted moments, Luna noted how Marcos ultimately settled for a solemn and emotional closing. After ordering the Department of Public Works and Highways to submit a report on the flood control projects, as well as warning not to approve of the budget not aligned with the national expenditure program, he called on everyone to be united and not cower in fear in his last three years of presidency.
“The closing part was the most moving part,” Luna said. “He used the emotion card, with his hand on his chest and his tone emotional. 'Yung cracky voice in his last sentences—it sealed the deal.”