Marcos’ ‘new normal’ remark slammed by progressives ahead of SONA 2025

Jea Nicole Jacot

Progressives voiced their frustration after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the typhoon impact in the Philippines is “inevitable” and is now becoming the “new normal.” 

“This is not an extraordinary situation anymore. Do not think of it as a special situation, this is […] I hate to use the overused phrase, but this is the ‘new normal.’ Ganito na talaga ang buhay natin kahit ano pa ang gawin natin,” Marcos Jr. said in a situational briefing with the National Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) and other key government officials on July 25. 

This assessment came while Typhoon Crising, Typhoon Dante, and Typhoon Ermong battered the country for days, triggering torrential rains and massive flooding that affected millions of Filipinos.

In response to Marcos Jr.’s call for a mindset shift, Kabataan Partylist Representative Renee Co issued a statement on Facebook, denouncing the normalization of “bad disaster response.”

“Criminal negligence will never be a new normal. Man-made disasters have man-made solutions, di lang ginagawa ni Marcos Jr. kasi inuuna niya ang kita kaysa ang taumbayan,” she said. 

As the 2025 State of the Nation Address approaches, she also reiterated calls to oppose destructive reclamation projects and infrastructure projects.

Meanwhile, Marcos Jr. expressed a similar concern with the Department of Education Secretary Sonny Angara, as he pointed out the pressure on local government units (LGUs) to suspend classes when it rains, stating that unnecessary disruptions worsen the learning loss of students.

“I know we’re doing everything that we can. The funding is there, and all our assets are there. But we just have to think hard about what adaptation measures we have to undertake,” he said. 

Angara stated that schools should hold make-up classes after suspensions, on Saturdays or by extending the school day, as teachers are available, because of the severe impact on the students’ education.

In her statement, Co opposed the notion that class cancellations are wasteful and asserted the importance of student safety.

“Walang sayang sa pagkansela ng pasok para matiyak ng kabataan ang kaligtasan nila at pamilya nila. Karapatan ang edukasyon, hindi karera. Di tayo aabot sa ganito kung inaksyunan na dati pa ang krisis sa klima,” she said.

On July 25, the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP) hosted a special national situationer webinar titled “Climate Crisis is Not the ‘New Normal’.” 

It featured Alab Ayroso, National Spokesperson of the Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP), who discussed climate action in the Philippines and the impacts of the Southwest Monsoon.

As of July 24, the NDRRMC reported that extreme weather conditions have affected 2.7 million people, or 765,869 families, across 65 Philippine provinces.