HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez expressed hope that Malacañang will allow more fully vaccinated attendees at the final State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte at the Batasang Pambansa on July 26, 2021.

Romualdez, chairman of the House committee rules, said expanding the number of attendees for the last SONA of President Duterte is a possibility on condition that they are fully vaccinated.

“Kung maaari lang po ay siguro pagbigyan rin ‘yung mga fully vaccinated para dumami naman ang makakarinig ng SONA in the personal capacity,” Romualdez told reporters in a press conference.

He clarified that COVID-19 testing is still part of a requirement for those who will attend the SONA.

The Third Regular Session of the 18th Congress will start on the morning of July 26.

The afternoon will be devoted to President Duterte’s SONA, which he will deliver before a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The Constitution mandates the President to deliver his annual report to Congress every 4th Monday of July.

The President’s Cabinet, former Presidents, lawmakers, business leaders and members of diplomatic corps usually attend the SONA before the pandemic.

”I expect we will have something similar to what we had last year. Mas marami lang tao kasi mas marami na-vaccinate na, all the while keeping with the protocols of social distancing and all the testing in place,” said Romualdez, president of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD),

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ryan Ponce Pacpaco