President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with the members of Malacanang Press Corps., during an interview after the impounding process ceremony of the Upper Wawa Dam at Montalban, Rizal Revoli S. Cortez / PPA POOL
NEWS

Marcos says preparations for third SONA are underway

Tiziana Celine Piatos

President Feridnand Marcos Jr. said on Wednesday that preparations for his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) speech are underway.

In a media interview in Montalban, Rizal, Marcos acknowledged the challenge of fitting the extensive government report into a one-hour address.

"There are many issues we need to discuss. So, the SONA is really a report to the nation," Marcos said in Filipino.

"Honestly, the biggest challenge for us is fitting everything into a one-hour speech for the SONA. So, what we did is we prepared a brief, about this thick, which is a detailed report to the nation," Marcos added.

Beyond the progress updates, the President highlighted that the SONA would also address the broader state of the nation, encompassing economic performance, public safety, and social issues such as drug abuse and various threats facing the country.

Recognizing the limitations of time during the SONA, Marcos said Malacañang is also making some preparations for a detailed report supplementing the address.

According to Marcos, this supplementary document aims to provide in-depth insights into initiatives and achievements that cannot be fully covered in the speech due to time constraints.

He added the report will be disseminated widely, including to media outlets, private and public sector partners, schools, and the general public.

“We will provide that to the media and all our partners so that people know what we are doing and if we are fulfilling our promises,” Marcos said.

Regarding the attire for the event, President Marcos indicated there would be no departure from tradition, stating, "It's a SONA. It's going to be the same as before."

The President usually delivers the SONA annually on the last Monday of July to update the nation on its status, outline the administration’s priorities, and urge Congress to pass important legislative measures.