‘Still Plan A’: Duterte to push through with plan to deliver SONA at Batasan

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will push through with plans to personally delivering his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at Batasang Pambansa even as some of the attendees have tested positive for COVID-19.

“As of 1:20 p.m., PRRD (President Duterte) is still scheduled to give his 5th SONA at the Batasan Pambansa,” Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque told reporters in a text message.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar also said that no changes have been announced yet.

“Wala pang abiso na Plan B na,” Andanar told INQUIRER.net.

Andanar was referring to the back-up plan to have Duterte deliver his speech from Malacañang.

In an interview over CNN Philippines, Andanar bared that six personnel from Malacañang tested positive for COVID-19, noting some of them are from the technical team assigned to the event.

Aside from the Palace personnel, another SONA attendee, Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, also said he has contracted the disease.

The COVID-19 test is among the safety protocols imposed to ensure a coronavirus-free SONA.

The President is expected to deliver his penultimate SONA at 4 p.m. before a joint session of Congress.

Roque earlier said the government’s COVID-19 recovery roadmap will highlight the President’s speech.

EDV