MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte will deliver his sixth and final State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 26, 2021 at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. It will be in ‘hybrid’ format again due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The Congress is looking to allow as many as 200 participants to physically attend the event.
“Maybe, 150 to 200 individuals may be allowed to enter the plenary this year, but this still depends on the decision of the IATF [Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases] and Malacañang. So far, that is our projection),” House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza said.
Only around 50 people were allowed to physically attend Duterte’s SONA last year due to heightened restrictions amid the surge of COVID-19 cases. The rest of the officials, lawmakers, dignitaries, and other guests attended the event virtually.
SONA 2021 HIGHLIGHTS
The Philippine president delivers the SONA every year to report the state of the country, unveil the government’s agenda for the coming year, and grab the opportunity to urge Congress to pass priority measures.
Article 7, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution mandates the president to “address the Congress at the opening of its regular session.”
Earlier, Duterte said he will not boast about his administration’s legacy in his final SONA but he will just cite government projects completed during his term.
LIVESTREAM AND COVERAGE
The traditional ceremony is expected to start at 4 p.m. as the president will arrive by air or land.
There is no confirmation yet on who will direct the broadcast coverage of the President’s final report to the nation. Blockbuster movie director Joyce Bernal took charge in last year’s SONA.
Only the state-run Presidential Broadcast Staff-Radio Television Malacañang (PBS-RTVM) will be allowed to cover the event at Batasan.
The SONA 2021 will be aired via live stream on the government’s channel PTV, Presidential Communications Facebook page, and RTVM YouTube channel.
Mainstream media like ABS-CBN, GMA-7, TV5 and CNN Philippines are expected to hook up on centralized livestreaming service of RTVM for their updates and coverage.
NOTE: Stay tuned on The Summit Express for the coverage of Duterte’s final SONA.
— The Summit Express