House 'on same page' with PBBM on making 2026 SONA simple
Published Jul 16, 2026 12:15 pm
At A Glance
- House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil says the House aligns with President Marcos in keeping the 2026 SONA simple but dignified.
- Garafil notes Speaker Faustino Dy III ordered a toned-down event, with no red carpet or long gowns, and guests encouraged to wear simple Filipiniana.
- Around 1,000 guests are expected in the plenary, with a similar number outside, as the SONA follows the same routine but in a more austere format.
The iconic giant Philippine flag inside House plenary was recent hauled down and cleaned in preparation for the July 27 SONA. (Gerard Baldo)
House Secretary General Cheloy Garafil says the institution is on the same page with President Marcos regarding the effort to make this year's State of the Nation Address (SONA) an austere event, yet again.
Garafil, in a chance interview with reporters Thursday, July 16, reiterated that the aim for Chief Executive's speech this year was to make it simple but "very dignified".
Marcos' fifth SONA will take place at Quezon City's Batasan Complex, home of the 300-plus strong House of Representatives, on Monday July 27. The senators will also be there, as it will be delivered in a joint session of Congress.
"I think we’re [on] the same page naman na dapat ano lang, we keep it lowkey pero very dignified pa rin naman," said Garafil, the highest ranked civilian official in the House, when asked if Marcos had any instructions for the event.
(I think we’re on the same page that we must keep it lowkey but still very dignified.)
She said that no less than House Speaker Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III has ordered the observance of a toned down SONA.
During the first coordination meeting for the SONA last June 9, Garafil said that "there will be no red carpet, no long gowns".
"As you can see in the invitations that we've prepared, we've specifically mentioned that we're encouraging everyone, especially the ladies to just wear simple Filipiniana dress," she said at that time, which was right after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Sarangani and other parts of Mindanao.
Garafil said on Thursday that she will remind the House members to avoid wearing ostentatious wardrobe during the event.
Asked about the number of guests this year, she said: "Kasi ang SONA we usually have mga 1,000 [guests] yata who are in the plenary pero outside siguro same number din because...they have their own guests. Pero this plenary can seat like 1,000."
(Because the SONA, we usually have about 1,000 guests in the plenary, but outside probably the same number too because… they have their own guests. But this plenary can seat around 1,000.)
The 2025 SONA was also a simple one--devoid of the pomp and pizzazz of previous years--in light of the typhoons that battered the country.
"Basically it’s still the same although ngayon nga sabi ko nga mas simple ang SONA this year because of course we have to also take note of the...of the time so basically ‘yon it’s still the same routine," Garafi said.
(Basically it’s still the same although now, as I said, the SONA this year is simpler because of course we also have to take note of the...of the time, so basically that’s it — it’s still the same routine.)