Sara to skip SONA, names self ‘designated survivor’

MANILA, Philippines — After skipping the Palarong Pambansa opening, Vice President Sara Duterte is also not attending President Marcos’ State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.

This is the first time that she will be absent at the event since the pair ascended to power after their team-up scored a landslide victory in 2022.

“No, I will not attend the SONA. I am appointing myself as the designated survivor,” Duterte said in an interview yesterday at the inauguration of the Child and Adolescent Neurodevelopment Center in Davao City.

Duterte did not elaborate on what she meant by “designated survivor,” which drew negative comments from certain quarters.

In the United States, a “designated survivor” must be secured in case the president and all of the constitutional successors are killed or incapacitated in a terrorist attack or calamity.

Duterte’s decision to skip the SONA raised questions about her insistence that she remains friends with Marcos despite her resignation from his Cabinet.

Sought for comment, House secretary-general Reginald Velasco said they would still wait for an official communication from the Office of the Vice President.

In a previous interview, he told journalists that Congress is giving much leeway to VIPs, including the Vice President, as a matter of policy as it is their privilege to confirm their last-minute attendance at the SONA.

For his part, Speaker Martin Romualdez said yesterday “every public official has the prerogative to decide on their attendance at significant events.”

He added that the SONA is “a crucial moment for unity and collaboration among our nation’s leaders,” which is why the people “deserve to see their leaders united for the collective good.”

Rep. Joel Chua of Manila’s third district said Duterte assigning herself as a designated survivor is concerning, as her declaration was “not a laughing matter” amidst the current political tension.

“Strictly speaking, VP Duterte does not have that appointing power for a designated survivor because it is the 1987 Constitution that designates the Vice as the first next-in-line to succeed the President,” Chua said.

On Wednesday Velasco said some P20 million has been allotted for the “preparation and execution” of this year’s SONA.

He described the upcoming SONA on July 22 as the biggest in terms of seats – over 2,000, including 1,814 total seats at the plenary.

Some function rooms were also assigned as viewing rooms for those who could not be accommodated at the plenary or do not want to stay there because the hall would be on lockdown for around two hours once the SONA proper has started.

The key component of SONA, he said, is the food and beverages, covering the meals for all personnel involved, including internal staff and external personnel, as well other support staff.

Velasco added this provision is not only for the actual day of the SONA but also for all preparatory activities leading to the event.

“I want to assure the public that we are committed to transparency and responsibility in spending public funds,” Velasco said. — Diana Lhyd Suelto, Delon Porcalla, Edith Regalado, Sheila Crisostomo