Marcos Jr. takes a break for SONA draft

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos took a break from public engagements yesterday to polish the draft of his third State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Marcos, who had several out-of-town engagements in the past few weeks, most of them distribution of aid to El Niño-hit sectors, is writing and revising the speech himself, according to the Presidential Communications Office (PCO).

“The President is on top of his SONA and is in the process of finalizing his speech. He has no engagement today (yesterday, July 17) because he is preparing for the SONA,” the PCO said in a statement sent to reporters.

In a media interview last week, Marcos said this year’s SONA would provide updates on his administration’s projects as well as on the economy, criminality and other social problems.

The 1987 Constitution requires the president to address Congress at the opening of its regular session.

During the SONA, the president enumerates the government’s achievements and plans for the coming year and urges lawmakers to approve bills that will help the executive branch achieve its agenda.

The address, which is attended by political leaders and members of the diplomatic community, is delivered every fourth Monday of July.

Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), the government unit that covers the president’s official functions and activities, will direct Marcos’ third SONA, which is expected to draw about 2,000 guests.

RTVM also called the shots in the broadcast of last year’s address.

Marcos’ first SONA in 2022 was directed by then presidential adviser for creative communications Paul Soriano.

Accomplishments

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III is hoping to hear Marcos’ accomplishments as the latter delivers his third SONA on Monday.

As the leader of the two-member minority bloc, Pimentel yesterday said Marcos’ third SONA should be about the administration’s accomplishments, especially of the departments with higher budget allocations.

The President’s SONA will be held at 3 p.m. on Monday at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.

“The No. 1 concern of the people is, of course, agriculture. Food, price of goods, price of food, especially the price of a kilo of rice. So we need to hear from the President about the amount of money poured into agriculture, what has been the result,” Pimentel said.

“The other thing is that the huge amount we are pouring would be in housing, and I really had my doubts about the targets announced by the Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development. I want to hear a report. What has happened to housing?” he added.

The senator expressed hope that there will be a surprise, such as a new policy on Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGOs).

Pimentel earlier said Marcos’ approval rating would surely soar if he announces in his third SONA a total ban on POGO firms, which the former described to be a good political move for Marcos.

Security measures

In the aftermath of the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump, the Philippine National Police has assured the public that measures are in place to prevent a similar incident from happening when Marcos delivers his third SONA next week.

PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil gave the assurance yesterday as he noted that they are not letting their guard down even if they have not monitored any threat for the July 22 SONA.

At least 22,000 police officers will secure the SONA, 6,000 of whom are going to be deployed at the vicinity of the Batasang Pambansa Complex, where Marcos will deliver his public address.

On whether they will use signal jammers for the SONA, Marbil refused to comment.

He said the gun ban in Metro Manila, which the PNP earlier announced would take effect on the day of the SONA, would instead start on Saturday, July 20 at 12:01 a.m.

No threats

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has not monitored any threat in the region, four days ahead of Marcos’ third SONA on Monday.

“As of now, there are no (threats). Actually, Metro Manila has a very low threat level. It is at threat level 1, so we have not seen any for several months already,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said in a chance interview yesterday.

Nartatez, who led the inspection along portions of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City earlier today, said there are no adjustments to the plan as of now.

Traffic plan

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) will implement a traffic plan during the Marcos’ third SONA on Monday.

The Batasan-IBP road will be closed to vehicular traffic “from 8 a.m. onwards as part of the security measures” for the SONA, the agency said in a statement yesterday.

MMDA traffic enforcers will implement a counterflow or zipper lane “on the southbound portions of Commonwealth Avenue to give way to vehicles of government officials and guests going to the Batasang Pambansa Complex,” where the House of Representatives is located and where the President will deliver his SONA.

Releasing a list of alternate routes, the MMDA called on motorists to avoid Commonwealth Avenue and Batasan-IBP Road during the SONA, when traffic jams are expected due to road closures.

Motorists coming from Elliptical Road and going to Fairview “should take North Avenue, then turn right at Mindanao Avenue, then turn right to Sauyo Road or take Quirino Highway,” the MMDA advised.

Drivers from a part of Commonwealth Avenue in Fairview “should take Sauyo Road or Quirino Highway, turn left at Mindanao Avenue, then turn left at North Avenue to reach Elliptical Road.”

Light vehicles using C5 “may turn left at Magiting Street, turn right to Maginhawa Street, turn left to Mayaman Street to Kalayaan Avenue,” according to the MMDA.

Trucks coming from C5 “along Katipunan Avenue should take Luzon Flyover then turn left at Congressional Avenue to reach the point of destination,” the agency added.

“The MMDA will deploy a total of 1,329 personnel to manage both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, assist in emergency response, conduct rounds of road and sidewalk clearing operations, assist in crowd control and traffic monitoring,” MMDA acting chairman Romando Artes said.

Artes added that the agency would also monitor rallies that would be held during the SONA from its “newly enhanced MMDA Communications and Command Center” in Pasig City, as well as a “Mobile Command Center, equipped with CCTV monitors, that will be deployed at Batasan corner Commonwealth area.” – Cecille Suerte Felipe, Emmanuel Tupas, Nillicent Bautista, Ghio Ong