Palace still unsure if Duterte will physically deliver SONA in Batasan

MANILA, Philippines — Malacanang on Thursday said that there is no certainty yet that President Rodrigo Duterte will physically deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa.

This, despite Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s announcement that the President will deliver his SONA at Batasang Pambansa with a limited number of congressmen and senators in attendance.

“The venue is confirmed, it is Batasan. Pero ang alam ko po, hindi pa po 100 percent sure kung physically mag-a-attend ang Presidente or magbo-broadcast po from Malago (Clubhouse in Malacañang) to Congress,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

(The venue is confirmed, it is Batasan. But from what I know, it is not yet a 100 percent sure if the President will physically attend or he will broadcast from Malago to Congress.)

The President is set to deliver his fifth SONA on July 27.

Earlier, Roque said holding the President’s SONA online is the “safe fallback position.”

Roque also previously said that there will be “no more fashion show” in this year’s SONA.

EDV