Why The Palace Is Pausing SONA Prep Work

Amid the torrential rain and heavy flooding across local communities this week, Malacañang has announced that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos has ordered a halt to the installation of materials and other preparatory activities for his fourth State of The Nation Address (SONA)

Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday (July 22), after he reported that Marcos was “dismayed” by government personnel putting up SONA materials in public areas while many are still suffering from the heavy flooding and rains brought about by the southwest monsoon.

“Let me be clear: all SONA-related preparations are hereby ordered immediately suspended. The Department of Public Works and Highways, along with all concerned agencies, must put full attention and exclusive focus on flood response and relief operations,” said the Executive Secretary.

He added that the order aims to reconcentrate all state efforts from other operations to ensuring the safety and welfare of those affected during times of crisis.

President Marcos' fourth address to Congress is set to be delivered on July 28, Monday where he is also expected to talk about trade issues with the United States among other economic issues.

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The SONA is the Philippine President’s speech to Congress and a comprehensive report  not just on his administration's accomplishments but a general update on what is going on in the country. It also details the President’s policy plans and priority pieces of legislation for the coming year. Under the Constitution, the address must be delivered every fourth Monday of July.

Meanwhile, the President has also ordered government agencies to focus on rescue and relief operations to keep Filipinos safe from the southwest monsoon and to redirect government resources to support local communities suffering from severe flooding.

The Department of Interior and Local Government on Tuesday announced class and government work suspensions for July 23, Wednesday in 30 localities including Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, La Union, the National Capital Region, Batangas, Quezon Province, Tarlac, among others.

The Quezon City Council has also declared a state of calamity due to the severe effects of the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, whose effects have been exacerbated by Tropical Storm Crising (international name: Wipha).

Based on government data, more than 35,000 people or 10,000 families in Quezon City, which is the largest city in the country, have been relocated to evacuation centers on Tuesday.

“We all know that the President's directive is for us to work for the people. And that is exactly what government employees are doing. You are commendable,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing at Malacañang, referencing government employees working on activities related to this year's SONA. “But this is not the right time to prioritize this over your safety and the safety of the public."