SONA 2025: Labor Rights, Transport Reform, and Peace in Mindanao – A National Agenda for Change

In a powerful pre-SONA 2025 discussion, labor leader Ka Leody, Angkas CEO George Royeca, and PCID President Amina Rasul-Bernardo tackle labor injustice, transport reform, and Mindanao peacebuilding. Discover bold solutions for real national transformation.

As the Philippines anticipates the State of the Nation Address 2025, a timely national conversation unfolded at Club Filipino in a special episode of The Agenda, hosted by Pastor Gary Galvez. This unified discussion brought together three influential voices to confront the most urgent challenges Filipinos face today: labor exploitation, broken transport systems, and the unfinished work of peace in Mindanao.

Labor leader Leodegario “Ka Leody” De Guzman raised alarm over the persistent crisis of job insecurity and the government’s failure to uplift workers. He called for a national ₱1,500 daily minimum wage, an end to contractualization, and a shift away from neoliberal economic policies that have long favored oligarchs over the working class. His message is urgent and uncompromising: the Philippines needs a pro-worker agenda that guarantees job creation, living wages, and long-term security for its most vulnerable.

George Royeca, CEO of Angkas, spotlighted the often-overlooked transportation sector, particularly the role of motorcycle taxis as a poverty-reduction tool. With the motorcycle ride-hailing industry projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2030, Royeca argued for permanent, nationwide regulation under the LTFRB. He emphasized the need for insurance, social protections, and benefits for riders, who are among the most exposed yet least protected workers in the country. Transportation, Royeca stressed, must be seen as a pillar of inclusive economic development—not just urban mobility.

Amina Rasul-Bernardo, president of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy (PCID), brought a powerful voice from the South. She highlighted both progress and setbacks in implementing the Bangsamoro peace agreement, especially amid changing leadership within the MILF and rising regional tensions linked to Middle East unrest. Rasul-Bernardo pointed to the urgent need for more investment in education, nutrition, and agriculture in Muslim Mindanao—especially for women and youth. Her stories of microcredit success through CARD MRI illustrated how financial access can radically transform lives, particularly for female entrepreneurs rising from poverty to run businesses like sari-sari stores, gas stations, and tailoring shops.

The discussion also touched on intersecting issues such as online gambling’s corrosive effect on Filipino households, the education crisis in rural and Muslim areas, and the need for a bottom-up economic model centered on local resilience, food security, and industrial development. The panel agreed: the time for tinkering is over. What’s needed is a comprehensive shift—away from trickle-down economics and towards structural reform that addresses inequality at its roots.

Together, these voices offer not just critique but vision—a roadmap toward a fairer, more inclusive Philippines. As SONA 2025 approaches, this episode of The Agenda is essential viewing for anyone serious about real change, from policy-makers and activists to everyday Filipinos who demand better.