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.

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