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House gets ready for SONA 2026, holds 1st inter-agency coordination meeting
The House of Representatives on Tuesday hosted the 1st SONA Inter-agency Coordination Meeting for President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos' 2026 State of the Nation Address in July.
House Secretary General Atty. Cheloy Garafil emphasized the need to keep the SONA "simple but dignified."
"The operative word for this year, I think, will be a simple SONA in keeping with the times," Garafil said in her opening statement.
"There'll be no red carpet, no long gowns. As you can see in the invitations that we've prepared, we've specifically mentioned that we've encouraged, urging everyone, especially the ladies, to just wear simple Filipiniana dress. Even some of the preparations that we've done are all geared towards keeping it simple but still dignified," Garafil added.
She also stated that the SONA is "a major event for the administration and for the Filipino people so I hope everyone will also contribute to making this very simple but dignified for the president and for the whole government."
Invited to the meeting were officials of the Presidential Management Staff, Presidential Communications Office, Office of the Presidential Protocol, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Presidential Broadcast Staff-RTVM, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Office of the President, Department of Foreign Affairs, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Presidential Security Command, and Senate Secretary Atty. Renato Bantug, Jr.
Bantug kept his opening statement light, saying, "I never really imagined that I'd be back here again especially under these circumstances but obviously, I wasn't given much time to miss all of you. So whether you like it or not, I'm back."
This drew laughter from the audience.
Bantug was recently elected as Senate secretary after Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III moved to declare all positions in the Senate vacant. But Senator Alan Peter Cayetano insisted the said election was invalid and that he remains the Senate president with Atty Jose Luis Montales as the Senate secretary.
READ: House recognizes Gatchalian-led Senate Secretary for SONA preps
"Of course, the Senate team is here and we give all assurances of our cooperation and support for a very successful SONA hosting," Bantug assured the House of Representatives.
"I am wishing everyone a very fruitful preparation for the SONA and of course, a very successful SONA. With that, I would like to thank you for sending me the invitation to be here. Maraming, maraming salamat (Thank you very much)," Bantug said in closing his opening statement.
The SONA is the annual report of the President of the Philippines to Congress, delivered every fourth Monday of July. This year, the SONA will be held on July 27.
It serves both as a constitutional obligation and a political event, during which the President reports on the country’s condition and outlines the administration’s priorities and agenda for the coming year.
The SONA is mandated under Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution, which states: “The President shall address the Congress at the opening of its regular session.” —KG, GMA News
