The House of Representatives will spend P4.7 million for President Duterte’s fourth State-of-the-Nation Address on July 22, P200,000 less than the P4.9 million it spent for last year.
Acting Secretary General Dante Roberto Maling said they will spend P4.7 million for supplies and materials and food and other incidental expenses for the holding and the preparation for the SoNA at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
Maling, together with House Sergeant-at-Arms retired Major Gen. Romeo Prestoza, said preparations for the big national event are the same as last year.
Prestoza revealed that there are no substantial security threats against the holding of the SoNA which is mandated by the 1987 Constitution every fourth Monday of July.
“We have a very good coordination with all the intelligence units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, to include the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, for possible threats. We have extensive trainings, seminars to include simulation exercises and table top exercises para in case meron nga threat we would be prepared,” he said.
Maling, chairman of the 2019 SoNA Task Force, said invitations have been distributed. Invited to attend were diplomatic corps, members of the Executive like the Cabinet Secretaries, former Cabinet members, local government officials, invitees of House members, and former Presidents of the country.
Maling said that the exact number of invitations sent does not deviate from the number of seats available inside the session hall.
“Mga 1,500 ang mga naa-allot naming diyan from time to time. Di ho kami nag aallow masyado ng nagtatayo especially during the delivery of SoNA of the President,” Maling disclosed. (Ben Rosario)
(Ben Rosario)
