President Rodrigo Duterte will present a roadmap that will help the country recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic during his fifth and penultimate State of the Nation Address (SONA), Malacañang said on Wednesday.
READ: Fifth Sona: Palace eyes limited number of attendees in Batasan venue
“He (Duterte) will be presenting now a roadmap for recovery which the economic team has not unveiled yet and I think the reason is they want to unveil it in the SONA itself and many fora after the SONA,” Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
Despite the threat posed by COVID-19, Duterte decided to be physically present at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City when he delivers his fifth SONA.
READ: Duterte to deliver SONA at Batasan
However, there will only be a limited number of people who can attend this year’s SONA to minimize Duterte’s risk of exposure to the novel coronavirus.
The Presidential Security Group has also ensured that heightened security measures would be in place during the annual event to keep Duterte safe from COVID-19.
Roque said Duterte is expected to discuss “in much detail” the government’s efforts to combat the disease, as well as its plan to help the country recover from the COVID-19 crisis.
“There is no other problem as big as [COVID-19] right now,” he said. “The President will summarize the effects of the pandemic as well as the responses of the government and the way forward on how the government will actually approach this problem.”
As of Tuesday, the Philippines has logged 70,764 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 23,281 recoveries and 1,837 deaths.
Duterte has eased the quarantine restrictions in the country to pave the way for the gradual reopening of the economy.
Earlier, he consulted doctors and experts on the possible reopening of the economy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
He was told that the country could afford to resume more economic activities, provided that localized lockdowns are implemented, COVID-19 testing capacity improves and the vulnerable groups are protected.
Duterte will not be anywhere near guests when he delivers his fifth SONA on Monday (July 27), a Palace official said Wednesday.
Secretary Karlo Nograles said Duterte will still go to the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City but will be delivering his SONA in a chamber separate from guests to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19.
“He (Duterte) will be addressing the nation from the same podium, but for the safety of all the members of Congress and the employees of the House, he will deliver his SONA in a chamber that will not be filled by the legislators, officials, and dignitaries that usually attend this function,” he said.
Despite these changes, Nograles said the importance of the message will not be diminished.
House officials said only 25 people will be allowed to witness the address, and they will be required to undergo swab testing as well as rapid testing for COVID-19 on the eve of the event.
House Secretary General Jose Luis Montales said those who will be physically attending the opening of the 18th Congress’ Second Regular Session in the morning shall also be the ones to witness the President’s SONA in the afternoon.
During the SONA media briefing of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, House Deputy Secretary General for Administration Department Ramon Ricardo Roque also said those attending the event at the Batasan Complex in the morning and in the afternoon on July 27 will be required to undergo mandatory reverse transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction testing for COVID-19 on July 26. The same individuals will have to undergo rapid testing on July 27.
Roque said both tests for House members and their staff will be conducted at the De Venecia Hall of the South Wing Annex of the Batasan Complex; while senators and their staff, and the contingent from Malacañang will have a separate collection venue.
Roque said those will test positive in either of the COVID-19 tests will no longer be allowed to go to the Batasan complex.
Also on Wednesday, the executive director of Radio Television Malacañang (RTVM), Demic Pabalan, said an alternate venue has been set up at the Palace in case there are last-minute changes.
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