Vice President Sara Duterte on Thursday drew flak for announcing that she would not be attending this year’s State of the Nation Address (SoNA) on 22 July, and for appointing herself the “designated survivor” in case something happened to the President and the other top government officials at the event.

“No, I am not attending the SoNA,” Duterte told reporters in an ambush interview during the inauguration of the Child and Adolescent Neurodevelopmental Center in Davao City. “I am appointing myself as the designated survivor.”

Duterte made the statement less than a month after resigning from the Cabinet of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. where she held the post of education secretary and vice chairperson of the task force to end local communist armed conflict.

The Vice President earlier said that she remained “friendly” with the President despite resigning from the Cabinet on June 19 following an apparent falling out with First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

Duterte earned the ire of the First Lady after she was seen laughing over the remark of her father, former President Rodrigo Duterte, that President Marcos was “bangag” or “high on drugs.”

A threat

Manila Rep. Joel Chua saw the Vice President’s “designated survivor” comment as a threat to the safety of the President.

“Given current political tensions, such a joke is not in good taste because the security of the President of the Philippines is not a joking or laughing matter,” Chua said. “Great care is taken to ensure the security of the President, especially during the SoNA.”

A “designated survivor” is a high ranking government official chosen by the President to stay away from an event where the President and the top officials of government would be present. This is done to ensure that at least one government official, usually a Cabinet member, would survive to ensure the continuity of the presidential line of succession should something dire happen to the top officialdom.

Chua said the Constitution, under which the Vice President is first in line to succeed the President should he be unable to complete his term, does not give anyone the “appointing power for a designated survivor” role.

Houses awaits confirmation

Meanwhile, House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said they are awaiting the formal confirmation from the Office of the Vice President of Duterte’s absence from the SoNA even if she announced it herself in Davao yesterday.

“If you notice, she was smiling,” Velasco said. “We have yet to receive official confirmation that she’s not coming so we are contacting her office.”

Velasco said they cannot rely on a “social media posting” when it comes to attendance at the SoNA.

He said former vice presidents Noli de Castro, Jejomar Binay and Leni Robredo had officially confirmed they are not attending the SoNA.

De Castro was VP during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from 2004 to 2010, while Binay was the VP of the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III from 2010 to 2016.

Robredo, on the other hand, served as vice president from 2016 to 2022 during the term of President Duterte.

Her prerogative

Speaker Martin Romualdez said that while it was Vice President Duterte’s prerogative to skip the SoNA, it should not be at the expense of the Filipino people, who deserve to witness a united government.

“The State of the Nation Address is a crucial moment for unity and collaboration among our nation’s leaders. Our constituents deserve to see their leaders united and focused on the collective good,” Romualdez said.

Over 2,000 guests have confirmed their attendance, Velasco said. The government has earmarked P20 million to fund the SoNA, including for food, security, invitations and giveaways.

‘Politically incorrect’

Meanwhile, Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation Secretary Larry Gadon also criticized the Vice President describing her statement as “politically incorrect.”

“Inday Sara must have forgotten that she is the Vice President of the country, even if she resigned as DepEd secretary and vice chair of the anti-terrorism council,” Gadon said.

“After her appearances at the Maisug prayer rallies which turned out to be anti-BBM rallies, here is after all a chance to make up and show some degree of statemanship by attending the SoNA and showing some respect for her post as VP,” he added.

Gadon said President Marcos did not denounce her “despite the destabilization rallies initiated by her father, supporters and paid bloggers.”

“I did not expect this insensitivity from her as I know her to be an intelligent person. This only bolsters my forecast that she will not win a national post in 2028,” he said.