Metro Manila, Philippines – The State of the Nation Address (SONA) is a “crucial moment for unity and collaboration” among national leaders, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said on Thursday, July 11.
His remarks were in response to the announcement that Vice President Sara Duterte will not attend the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22.
While the speaker said each official can choose to attend the SONA or not, the event is an opportunity to “reflect on our progress, address challenges, and outline our vision for the future.”
Duterte said in a chance interview that she will skip the SONA as she is appointing herself “designated survivor.”
There is no law on a designated survivor similar to that in the United States.
In 2019, former Senator Panfilo Lacson filed a designated survivor bill in hopes to make sure government operations remain stable in case of disasters or terrorist attacks in which the president and all in the line of succession are killed or permanently disabled.
NewsWatch Plus Correspondent Daniza Fernandez contributed to this report.
