(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, the 16th President of the Philippines, is set to deliver his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) today, July 25.
The address of President Duterte will be the 78th since 1935 and the 30th since the restoration of democratic rule under the Fifth Republic in 1987.
President Duterte’s first SONA will be simple and without fanfare according to the Presidential Communications Office.
The President has requested those who will attend to do away with extravagant attire, changing the former habit of lawmakers of wearing fashionable outfits and walking the red carpet like celebrities. Malacanang instead suggested the wearing of business attire or knee-length Filipiniana.
Andanar says Duterte’s SONA made him cry
Duterte himself wrote his speech for his first SONA.
His communications secretary, Martin Andanar, said the speech was so powerful that it would “awaken the patriot in every Filipino.” He said it was a very moving speech that it made him cry.
“The address of the President, personally written by the President, will be a very powerful speech that will awaken the patriot in every Filipino,” Andanar, the Presidential Communications Office secretary said on Sunday in a press conference at the Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City.
Speech to last for 38 minutes
He said that the speech has been revised at least 10 times, and that the Presidential Broadcast Staff Radio Television Malacañang spent hours reviewing the President’s speech
“When I read the speech, ayaw ko pong mag-exaggerate pero the first time I read the speech, it made me cry. Ganoon po kaganda, ganoon po ka makabagbag-damdamin iyong speech ng Pangulo natin,” the communications secretary said.
He said Duterte’s SONA will be at least 38 minutes long.
Duterte will deliver his first SONA at 4 p.m., addressing the 17th Congress of the Philippines, on Monday, July 25.