Soprano Lara Maigue, an online sensation, will sing the National Anthem during the second State of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., a House of Representatives official said Friday.
House Secretary-General Reginald Velasco said Maigue, a classically trained
soprano, has made waves online with her vocal prowess.
Her version of the classic Mozart piece “Queen of the Night” garnered 21 million views on Instagram.
Maigue was also among the performers for “To Broadway with Love,” a two-night sold-out concert at the Esplanade concert hall with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Gerard Salonga.
Meanwhile, Senator Bong Revilla Jr. said the high prices of goods and services and possible wage hikes should be the focus of the President’s SONA.
Revilla said he is hopeful the President will address urgent national concerns that need immediate action.
Also among these concerns are efforts to increase the number of decent jobs, solutions to poverty, and the improvement of the education system.
“I’m sure, the President will have solutions to these problems besetting the country,” Revilla said.
“I am fully confident that PBBM will lay down measures to lower prices of goods.”
In fact, he noted that inflation has been slowing down for the past five months. It was pegged at 5.4 percent in June, the lowest in the last 13 months.
He said this should be coupled with the response to poverty and hunger. “So we have to wait for his policies on this,” he said.
Revilla praised the President’s performance in stimulating the economy during his first year in office, citing the July 2023 report of the Asian Development Bank forecasting the country’s GDP growth to be maintained at 6.0 percent this year.
This is 1.2 percent higher than the bank’s growth projection of 4.8 percent for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific.
The ADB attributed the country’s growth to robust investment, private consumption, rising employment, expanding production, retail sales, and brisk private and public construction.
The senator also cited the President’s high approval rating, saying it is a good indicator that the administration’s first year in office is in the direction.
Also on Friday, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Benjamin Acorda Jr. asked PNP personnel to deal with anti-government protesters with empathy and understanding three days left before the SONA on July 24.
The PNP chief said that security measures are in place for the SONA and must remain the top priority.
“The safety and well-being of every citizen, regardless of their political beliefs, must remain our top priority,” he said during a civil disturbance management (CDM) competition at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.
“We are 100 percent ready for deployment and we are also in coordination with even private individuals. They are providing technical aspect (such as) CCTV coverage in all areas, as well as drones that we are going to deploy to make sure that all areas are covered,” Acorda said.
At least 22,000 police officers and other force multipliers will secure the SONA.
Of the number, up to 6,000 police officers will be deployed around the Batasang Pambansa Complex where Marcos will deliver his report to the nation.
The PNP chief also reminded police officers to maintain law and order during the event where militant groups led by Bagong Alysanang Makabayan (Bayan) vowed to mobilize a bigger rally, which they called the People’s SONA along Commonwealth Avenue.
Bayan president Renato Reyes chided the PNP over the CDM exercises that simulated violent protests.
Acorda appealed to the protesters to respect lawmen who will secure the SONA and not to throw paint at police officers.
Acorda said while they are preparing for a worst-case scenario, he remains hopeful that the protest actions will be peaceful and instructed police officers to exercise maximum tolerance and to use force only when necessary.
But Acorda also warned demonstrators police will not hesitate to arrest them if they resort to violence.
The National Capital Region Police Office said it was ready to make sure the SONA on Monday will be safe, peaceful, and orderly.
NCRPO chief Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the police will secure areas around the venue and set up 31 entry and exit points around Metro Manila.
Authorities will also enforce the “No Fly Zone / No Drone Zone” in and adjacent to the airspace of the Batasang Pambansa. They also reminded the public that from 12:01 a.m. to 12 midnight of July 24, all permits to carry firearms outside residences in Metro Manila will be suspended.