Cabinet members who tested negative for COVID-19 to attend Duterte’s SONA

Some Cabinet members who tested negative for COVID-19 have confirmed their attendance to President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa on Monday afternoon.

They include Secretaries Menardo Guevarra (Justice), Wendel Avisado (Budget and Management) and Delfin Lorenzana (Defense) as well as presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.

Secretaries Eduardo Año (Interior and Local Government) and William Dar (Agriculture) as well as Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles will also be present during the event, according to a separate report by dzBB’s Tuesday Niu.

Only those who will test negative for COVID-19 will be allowed to attend the SONA physically based on the event's safety protocols.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar earlier said the event could be transferred to the Rizal Hall in Malacañang, depending on the results of the COVID-19 testing for physical attendees.

Andanar also said the Presidential Communications Operations Office had prepared Zoom viewing rooms for selected individuals who cannot be in the same room with Duterte as he delivers his address.

Three separate rooms for Zoom viewing had been prepared for some Cabinet officials, local chief executives and Sangguniang Kabataan officials, and overseas Filipino workers.

Duterte will deliver his fifth SONA at 4 p.m. — Virgil Lopez/RSJ, GMA News