Amnesty International Philippines issues another negative assessment of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ahead of his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). Hours before the SONA on Monday afternoon, the rights watchdog releases its 2025–2026 evaluation and says Marcos’ administration is failing in key areas related to human rights and social justice. The group specifically cites the administration’s record on protecting human rights defenders (HRDs), defending press freedom, and advancing climate justice. Amnesty International Philippines characterizes these areas as shortcomings and says the current assessment compounds prior regressions it noted in earlier years. The reports describe the development as part of Amnesty’s ongoing monitoring of how the government is addressing rights concerns, including the environment for activists and journalists. The articles note that the evaluation arrives shortly before the President’s SONA, highlighting criticism from the watchdog regarding the administration’s performance and commitments in the cited policy areas.