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THE House of Representatives said that they are 90 to 95 percent ready to host President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, and that there will be contingencies in place should bad weather affect the event.
In a press briefing on Monday, House spokesman Priscilla Abante said their preparations for Marcos’ address remain on schedule, noting that there would be some contingencies on how the SONA will be delivered in the event that the weather becomes worse next week.
Abante also said that they are expecting around the same number of guests as last year’s SONA, about 1,500 people in the Session Hall.
House of Representatives
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said they have already appointed several viewing areas for those who won’t be able to access the Session Hall: The Daniel Romualdez Hall, the Ramon V. Mitra Building Rooms 7 and 8, and the Speaker De Venecia Hall at the South Wing Annex Building.
Velasco, alongside other officials of the House, the Senate, the Office of the President, and other agencies, held a walkthrough to time the movements of President Marcos once he is inside the Batasang Pambansa Complex.
Abante said that the security measures for the SONA have already been finalized, with the Philippine National Police and the Presidential Security Command “always prepared” for any security threat.
She said that even if Vice President Sara Duterte has indicated that she will not attend, the House of Representatives is ready in case she changes her mind.
For legislative priorities, Abante said that they will wait for the organization of the House leadership before deciding on which bills would get top priority.
Meanwhile, PNP chief Nicolas Torre III assured the public that all groups intending to hold rallies during the SONA can exercise their freedom of expression, whether they stand for or against the government.
“PNP will make sure you will have the opportunity to express that opinion,” Torre said.
While the PNP respects everyone’s Constitutional rights for freedom of expression, Torre said particular expressions like torching of effigies should have permits from concerned agencies like local government units and the Department of Environment and Natural Resource1s (DENR) as they may violate environmental laws.
“We are balancing everything. But as much as possible, don’t do it because that is violative of environmental laws. Ask first for a permit from the DENR,” Torre said.
There is no final word yet if the PNP will impose a gun ban.
Torre, however, stressed that the gun ban, technically, is always in effect because anyone caught in possession of any firearm without a license to own and carry one will surely feel the effect of a gun ban.
He said the PNP has not detected any significant threat to the upcoming SONA.
Over 12,000 personnel will be deployed to ensure the peaceful conduct of the address, he said.
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