Palace: Aquino may use visual aids in SONA

President Benigno Aquino III may use visual aids in his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 23, a Malacañang aide said Sunday. But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said it is still too early to determine the visual aids to be used, since the SONA speech is still on its first draft at this time. “Normally the need for visuals comes after [malaman natin], more or less, ang takbo ng magiging speech. At this stage first draft pa lang si Pangulo at ang speechwriters. Siguro makikita natin 'yan at least one week before SONA kung anong visual aids ang gagamitin," she said on government-run dzRB radio. In his SONA before a joint session of Congress last year, Aquino used a slideshow presentation to stress some of the points in his speech. Valte said this is likely to be the case again this year. “Normally the president sticks to visuals and not to theatrics,” she said. She also said it is up to former President Gloria Arroyo if she would ask the court to let her attend this year’s SONA. Arroyo is under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City. She has been there since December 2011, after being arrested on charges of electoral sabotage. But Valte said Arroyo has a right to attend the SONA, since “she’s a representative of the Lower House.” Meanwhile, Valte said the Palace continues to receive inputs from government agencies and private groups for the SONA. She said one group has even scheduled a meeting with Aquino this week to give its inputs on the SONA. She did not name the group. “There is a certain group that invited the president for him to receive their opinion kung may suggestions on what should end up in the president’s SONA,” she said. — LBG, GMA News