Up until when can House wait for VP Sara to make up her mind for SONA?
At A Glance
- Vice President Sara Duterte is probably the most high-profile guest in President Marcos' SONA this coming July 22 who has yet to confirm or send her regrets.
- According to House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco, VIPs like the Vice President "can confirm at the last minute or they can cancel at the last minute".
Vice President Sara Duterte (Noel Pabalate/ MANILA BULLETIN)
Tuesday, July 9 came and went without Vice President Sara Duterte confirming to the House of Representatives whether or not she would attend this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA).
House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco had expected the country’s second highest-ranked official to respond to her SONA invite that day.
"No confirmation pa po (There’s still no confirmation)," Velasco said late Tuesday.
As it stands, Vice President Duterte is probably the most high-profile guest in President Marcos' SONA this coming July 22 who has yet to confirm or send her regrets.
But up until when can the House, the organizers of the annual event, wait for the Vice President to make up her mind?
The short answer is up until SONA day, July 22.
"They can confirm at the last minute or they can cancel at the last minute. That's the privilege of the Vice President as of now," Velasco said in an earlier interview Tuesday.
He said that the Vice President is considered to be among the VIPs or very important persons of the event.
Velasco said there have also been instances in past SONAs wherein a VIP confirmed attendance for the event, only to not show up.
"Sabi ko sa inyo kapag VIP walang deadline (I tell you, if it's a VIP, there's no deadline)."
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He said the SONA organizers will ultimately fix the seating arrangement for the VIPs based on the confirmations that they have received.
This year's SONA is the third of President Marcos' tenure.
Last June 19, Vice President Duterte resigned from the Marcos Cabinet as Department of Education (DepEd) secretary.
Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque was quick to brand the lady official as the leader of the new opposition as a result of her move.