The stage is set for President Marcos’s third State of the Nation address on Monday, with security measures already in place and supporters and detractors ready to make their presence felt.
Mr. Marcos said he is in the process of putting the finishing touches on his speech.
“The overall speech is done. We’re just fine-tuning it now,” the chief executive said Friday.
He acknowledged the challenge of covering numerous topics without making the speech too lengthy.
“We just need to prioritize — everything. Then our secretaries can explain the details of the others,” Mr. Marcos said.
“So we were there before but that’s done. We’re just trying to make sure that the language is good now, that everything we want to talk about is there, and we can show the people that we have accomplished something in the past year,” he added.
The President emphasized the importance of clear language and showcasing the administration’s achievements.
“So we’re here now but that’s all in the past. We’re just trying to make sure that the language is good, that everything we want to talk about is there, and we have something to show the people that we accomplished in the past year,” Marcos said.
On the other hand, several government officials listed various topics they hoped the Chief Executive would address in his upcoming SONA.
Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri called for a more detailed report on inflation, the proposed wage hike, and the future of POGOs.
Commission on Elections chairman George Erwin Garcia urged Marcos to stress the importance of voter participation for the upcoming midterm elections.
Former officials, including Herminio Coloma and former Senator Joey Lina, called for greater focus to poverty alleviation, education, job creation, and the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office is putting all its personnel in “full alert status” beginning Sunday, which means all police officers must report for duty and no one is allowed to go on leave.
“Starting Sunday, we will be on full alert. Currently, Metro Manila is at the lowest alert level because there is no threat. The airspace above the House of Representatives facility will be a no-fly zone,” NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez said in Filipino.
He disclosed that an additional 1,000 cops coming from Central Luzon and Calabarzon will bring to 23,000 the total number of police officers that will be deployed to secure the Batasan Pambansa Complex.
Nartatez brushed aside comments that their security preparations constitute an “overkill,” saying police personnel are tasked to secure some 2,000 VIPs apart from fending off an expected 8,000 to 10,000 protesters.
Among the expected protesters is the Duterte-affiliated Hakbang ng Maisug, which is expected to stage a protest at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila.
“There will be one (rally) in Manila. We expect around 5,000 of them (protesters). There will be a force from the Manila Police District to handle any civil disturbance (that may arise),” he said.
For his part, PNP chief Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil explained that the heightened security measures are being implemented to prevent something similar to the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump.
He said the PNP is in constant contact with the Presidential Security Group (PSG), military, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), among other government agencies.
He also urged protesters to keep their protests peaceful and not impede traffic flow.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline “Marcos on SONA 2024 speech: ‘We’re just fine-tuning it now'”
