Gov't offices near SONA area suspend work

National and local government emplyees in Quezon City went on a "half-day" Monday after being to leave their work past noon in time for the President's state of the nation address (SONA). At the Quezon City Hall, only local government collection agencies remained open in the afternoon. Most workers left the building around noon. Offices along elliptical road such as the Department of Agrarian Reform were also suspended. Government offices in Diliman such as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the National Computer Center and nearby agencies also went on a half-day work. "We were abruptly told to go home and watch the president's SONA,"Joseph Jasper Reyes, an information technology expert at the NCC, said. Several schools did not hold classes, especially those located along the major routes leading to and from the Batasan Complex. - GMANews.TV