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Former presidents Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, and Rodrigo Duterte confirmed attendance to the SONA, [4] however Duterte later rescinded. According to his aide, Senator Bong Go, he was tired after his personal trip to Beijing, China and instead went back home to Davao City. [5] Vice President Sara Duterte attended the event in person.
Prior to the start of President Rodrigo Duterte's speech, a prayer was conducted which was followed by the singing of "Lupang Hinirang", the national anthem, by Morissette. [8] Duterte's speech started at 4:13pm. He was joined by Senate President Tito Sotto and House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco. [9]
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said that he expected about 2,000 guests will attend the speech, making it the largest SONA by attendance. [2] There were 1,814 seats in the plenary. [4] Former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who is also the incumbent representative from Pampanga's 2nd district, attended the SONA. [5]
The House of Representatives has allocated a budget of ₱4.7 million for the State of the Nation Address with about 1,500 people invited for the event. [4] Weavers displaced by the Battle of Marawi also prepared a balod or traditional Maranao drape which was used as a backdrop for President Rodrigo Duterte for his speech.
The SONA is traditionally held annually. The presidential speech has been delivered in English until 2009 when it was last delivered in the said language. [citation needed] Benigno Aquino III was the first president to deliver the presidential speech in Filipino. He used Filipino in all of his six speeches from 2010 to 2015.
Three former Presidents, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Macapagal Arroyo attended the SONA. This was the first time that Arroyo attended Congress after being detained for four years at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City, after the Supreme Court voted 11-4, dismissing the plunder case filed against her in connection with the alleged misuse of the Philippine Charity ...
Duterte began his speech with a tirade against ABS-CBN, the Lopezes who own the company and Senate Minority Floor Leader Franklin Drilon. He accused Drilon of defending the Lopezes as " oligarchs " and for linking the anti-dynasty system to his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and son Davao City 1st District Representative Paolo Duterte .
The State of the Nation Address (SONA; Filipino: Talumpati sa Kalagayan ng Bansa [1]) is an annual address by the president of the Philippines to a joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. Mandated by the 1987 Constitution , the speech is delivered on the fourth Monday of July at the Plenary Session Hall of the Batasang Pambansa ...