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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Palace: Not showing respect to President's SONA is disrespect to the Constitution

Palace: Not showing respect to President's SONA is disrespect to the Constitution

Published Jul 29, 2026 02:14 pm
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro | Vice President Sara Duterte (RTVM/OVP)
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro | Vice President Sara Duterte (RTVM/OVP)
Malacañang said failing to show respect for the President's State of the Nation Address (SONA) is considered disrespect to the Constitution.
Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday, July 29, that the State of the Nation Address (SONA) is the President's constitutionally mandated report to the public on his administration's accomplishments and plans.
"Ito po ay base sa Konstitusyon. Ang hindi pagbibigay respeto sa SONA ay hindi pagrespeto sa Konstitusyon, hindi pagrespeto sa institusyon (This is mandated by the Constitution. Failing to show respect for the SONA is tantamount to failing to respect the Constitution and our institutions)," Castro said in a Palace briefing.
The Palace spokesperson made the statement when asked to comment on Vice President Sara Duterte's remark that she neither watched nor read President Marcos' fifth SONA.
Castro stressed that when a person does not take time to understand the situation in their country, including the government's programs, they remain uninformed.
"May mga tao na ang nais ay manatiling walang alam, mangmang ang mga kababayan. Mas madaling manipulahin ang mga taong walang alam (There are people who want our fellow Filipinos to remain uninformed and ignorant. People who lack information are easier to manipulate)," she said.
"So, sa mga kababayan natin lagi tayong maging mapanuri; obligasyon po nating alamin ang katotohanan at huwag tayong sumunod sinuman na nag-uudyok na manatili tayong mangmang sa katotohanan – mabubulag po tayo diyan. Obligasyon po nating alamin para hindi tayo manatiling mangmang sa katotohanan (So, to our fellow Filipinos, let us always be discerning. It is our responsibility to seek the truth and not follow anyone who encourages us to remain ignorant of it, because that will only blind us. It is our duty to know the truth so that we do not remain ignorant of it)," Castro further said.
In an interview on Tuesday, Duterte said she did not watch the President's SONA and had no plans to read it. She said she believes "it is a waste of time of the Filipino people."
Castro also used the Vice President's line when asked to comment on the other remarks the former made.
The Palace mouthpiece said it would also be a waste of time to respond to the Vice President's claims that none of Marcos' promises have actually come true, including the lowering of the price of rice to P20 per kilo.
"Parang ito po iyong waste of time sagutin dahil sa walang basehan at walang kakuwenta-kuwentang mensahe. Alam po natin na lahat ng ito ay kasinungalingan (It seems like a waste of time to respond because the claims are baseless and the message is completely without merit)," Castro said.
"Nandiyan ang bente pesos kada kilo na bigas na marami na pong nakaka-avail, marami na pong nabebenepisyuhan sa mga KADIWA Centers natin (We know that all of these are lies. The P20-per-kilo rice program is already in place, with many people now able to avail themselves of it and many already benefiting through our KADIWA Centers)," she added.
Duterte has once again warned of a possible no-election scenario in 2028, to which Castro responded: "Alam naman po natin ang Konstitusyon (We know what the Constitution says). So, again, it’s a waste of time to make a response on that statement."

Related Tags

President Marcos SONA Vice President Sara Duterte P20 per kilo rice
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