MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte’s 5th State of the Nation Address (SONA) next month will be different from the usual SONA due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Malacañang said Tuesday.
“I can confirm that it will not be the same SONA that we’re used to,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised Palace press briefing.
“Siyempre po wala na iyong madamihang opisyales na mag-a-attend, wala nang fashion show na pagandahan ng suot. Tingin ko po kakaunti lang ang mag-a-assemble sa Kongreso,” he added.
(Of course, there will be fewer officials who will attend, there will be no more fashion show. I think very few will be in Congress for Sona.)
Roque earlier floated a “blended” way of Duterte’s penultimate SONA, a reference to the government’s “blended” learning modality for the upcoming school year.
The Palace official added that nothing is final yet and they are still unsure whether the President would again go to Batasang Pambansa to deliver his address or would do it via teleconferencing personally.
The President is mandated under the Constitution to deliver his SONA before a joint session of Congress every fourth Monday of July to report on the status of the country and the government’s agenda in the years to come.