MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday said President Rodrigo Duterte is still expected to veer away from his prepared State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) speech which he promised to read in 35 minutes.
“It is the prerogative of our President to do ad-libs,” Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said in a television interview.
Andanar said Duterte has informed his Cabinet members during last week’s meeting that he will read the third SONA speech in not more than 35 minutes.
“We all knew that during his past SONA, our President has said something not included in his speech. So it remains to be seen on 23rd of July whether or not 35 minutes will be followed,” he said.
Duterte delivered his first SONA in 90 minutes in 2016 while his second SONA lasted in 120 minutes.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is expected to deliver his third SONA “straight from the heart”.
Film director Joyce Bernal has been tapped to direct the third SONA of the President.
Roque expressed optimism that Bernal will be able to portray the President as “the father of the nation”.
“We leave that to Ms. Joyce Bernal. But I think she has spoken on this matter, she wants to portray the President as the father of the nation,” Roque said in a Palace media briefing.
Roque said the President and Bernal will meet on Sunday during rehearsal in Malacañang.
Bernal conducted an ocular inspection at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon in Thursday last week and a “run-through” at Malacañang Palace last Monday.
“It should be a very exciting SONA as far as directing is concerned,” Andanar said.
Like Director Brillante Mendoza, who directed the first two SONAs of the President, Bernal has also offered her service to direct the third SONA for free, Andanar added.
Andanar said Duterte is expected to highlight the government’s accomplishments on war on drugs, anti-corruption, criminality and peace and order.
He said the three-part series pre-SONA Forum has helped a lot in informing the public about the government’s accomplishments in the second year of the Duterte administration.
The six Cabinet clusters were able to present their respective policies, activities and initiatives during the pre-SONA Forum themed “Tatak ng Pagbabago”. (Jelly Musico/PNA)
