President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. delivers his first State of the Nation Adress at the plenary hall of the House of Representatives in Quezon City on July 25, 2022. Behind him are Senate President Migs Zubiri and House Speaker Martin Romualdez. (Noel B. Pabalate)
Every year, the State of the Nation Address delivered by the President of the Philippines, reports on what his or her administration has done in the past year and the plans that will guide government action to improve the quality of life of the Filipinos.
Media faithfully reports on each SONA, stating the obvious and the implied statements that each president makes. For those interested on other features of the past SONAs, here’s a few facts on its history, how it adapted to circumstances like war and pandemic, and how its venue also became the showcase of advocacies through costumes and gowns.
According to the Official Gazette, this address to the people started during the First Philippine Republic, where General Emilio Aguinaldo “delivered an address during the inaugural session of the Assembly of Representatives.”
But according to the Official Gazette, General Aguinaldo did not deliver a SONA during the Malolos Congress in 1899 “because it was merely a congratulatory message to the Assembly instead of a constitutionally mandated report to the Legislature.”
The first SONA was delivered by President Manuel L. Quezon in 1935, at a special session of the first National Assembly of the Commonwealth of the Philippines held at the Legislative Building in Manila.
Different SONA venues
Following the liberation of Manila in 1945, which had damaged the Legislative Building, the SONA was delivered for four years at a temporary Congress building that used to be a schoolhouse, on Lepanto Street (now S.H. Loyola Street).
SONA by radio broadcast
After the Legislative Building was renovated in 1949, the SONA was delivered there again from 1949 to 1972, except in 1950 when President Elpidio Quirino delivered it via a radio broadcast from his hospital bed in Baltimore, Maryland, where he was confined, according to the Official Gazette.
LATE former President Elpidio Quirino's second SONA delivered from his hospital bed in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, Jan. 23, 1950. The only SONA delivered via radio broadcast to Congress. (Photo taken from Apo Lakay: The Biography of President Elpidio Quirino of the Philippines by Carlo Quirino)
Other locations of the SONA from 1973 to 1977 were in Malacañan Palace, Quirino Grandstand, the Philippine International Convention Center, and Luneta Park.
It was from 1978 to the present that the SONA was held at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City. Presidents Corazon C. Aquino, Fidel V. Ramos, Joseph Ejercito Estrada, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and Benigno Aquino III all delivered their SONAs at the same venue.
Guests and the pandemic
In 2020, only 50 guests were invited to attend the SONA of President Duterte at the Batasang Pambansa – the least attended ever in the Philippines due to the pandemic. It was also the first time the vice president was not present. VP Leni Robredo was only invited to join Duterte’s SONA via zoom.
FORMER President Rodrigo Roa Duterte delivers his 5th State of the Nation Address at the House of Representatives Complex in Quezon City on July 27, 2020. (Photo from Malacañang Photo Bureau)
Strict health protocols were also implemented during the 2020 SONA, such as the wearing face masks and social distancing. Guests were also required to undergo an RT-PCR test to show negative results.
In 2021, for Duterte’s final SONA, only 350 guests were allowed in the session hall. Each had to present proof of vaccination, and a negative RT-PCR test result. At the venue, wearing a face mask and keeping social distancing was required.
During President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s first SONA in 2022, with the easing of health and safety protocols, more than 1,300 guests were invited to attend the face-to-face address. But each guest was still required to present a negative RT-PCR test result.
Cultural attire
The SONA has also been a venue for displaying regional or tribal attire. Teddy Baguilat, former representative of Ifugao came in traditional Ifugao attire which included the traditional headdress.
In 2022, Vice President Sara Duterte wore a Bagobo Tagabawa traditional dress of the Davao tribe. Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros wore a baro’t saya made from piña cloth from Aklan and embroidered by artisans of Lumban, Laguna.
Vice President Sara Duterte (Screenshot from RTVM)
Gabriela Women’s Partylist Representative Arlene Browsas carried her advocacy through her dress with a design representing the “Filipino women's struggle against rising prices of oil, food, and basic necessities.”
Longest address
Former President Rodrigo Duterte, delivers his last State of the Nation Address at the Plenary Hall of the House of Representatives in Quezon City, July 26 2021. (Mark Balmores)
Former President Duterte holds the record of delivering the longest SONA – two hours and 45 minutes – in 2021.
SONA in Tagalog
That beat the SONA delivered by President Aquino in 2015 which lasted two hours and 15 minutes, according to the Official Gazette which noted that Aquino was the only President to date who delivered the full speech in Tagalog.
Most number of words
In 1969, President Ferdinand E. Marcos delivered a SONA composed of 29,335 words, according to the Official Gazette. He also delivered the most number of SONAs – a total of 20.
In 2005, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo delivered the shortest SONA with only 1,566 words. She delivered a total of nine SONAs. (Pancho Parian)