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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Quick facts: SONA 2023

Quick facts: SONA 2023

Published Jul 20, 2023 07:05 pm
From left to right: ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep. Arnolfo Teves Jr. (MANILA BULLETIN, Facebook)



President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. is set to deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 24 at Batasan Complex in Quezon City. SONA 2023 will have a Filipiniana or "native" theme-slash-motif, as per its organizers at the House of Representatives. Batasan is the home turf of the House members, or congressmen. Here are more quick facts about SONA 2023 that will keep you ahead in the any conversation: \- Over 2\,000 guests are expected to attend\. In comparison\, a total of 1\,365 were invited during last year's SONA\. \- All three living former Philippine presidents\-\-Joseph "Erap" Estrada\, Gloria Macapaga\-Arroyo\, and Rodrigo Duterte have all confirmed their attendance for Monday\. \- Malacañang's official broadcasting arm\, Radio Television Malacañang \(RTVM\)\, will handle director duties this year\. The SONA 2022 broadcast was directed by Paul Soriano\. \- Classical Filipino singer Lara Maigue will sing the Philippine national anthem\. \- Marcos is expected to deliver his speech at around 4 p\.m\. before a joint session by the House and Senate at the plenary hall of Batasan Complex\. There will have been 311 House members and 24 senators present for the speech\. \- ACT\-CIS Party\-list Rep\. Erwin Tulfo will make his House plenary debut on SONA day\, most likely in the morning session before the speech\. Tulfo\, the party\-list's third nominee\, is a former Department of Social Welfare and Development \(DSWD\) secretary\. \- The currently suspended Negros Oriental 3rd district Rep\. Arnolfo Teves Jr\.'s request to attend the SONA virtually has been rejected\. Teves\, who is out of the country\, wasn't sent an invitation\. \- Out of all the invited guests\, it's Arroyo who has the unique option of having two possible seats in plenary during the SONA: she may sit in the VIP section\, being a former president; or she may sit along with her House colleagues\, being the incumbent Pampanga 2nd district representative and a deputy speaker\. The House plenary hall (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)




\- The pre\-SONA lockdown period at Batasan Complex will last four days\, a day longer than last year's lockdown period\. \- Aside from the lockdown\, other security measures that would be observed are the jamming of mobile phone signals and the declaration of a no\-fly zone over Batasan on SONA day\. \- Covid\-19 protocols for SONA guests this year would be minimal in that they only need to show their vaccination card \(first series\) during screening\. But for those who are unvaccinated\, a negative reverse transcription\-polymerase chain reaction \(RT\-PCR\) test 24 hours before SONA is will be required\. \- Over 1\,000 media practitioners have been accredited to cover the event\.

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State of the Nation Address Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. quick facts
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