Romualdez calls for no red carpet SONA amid massive flooding
Romualdez made the call four days before his cousin and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. is set to deliver his fourth SONA in Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City.
'Mayy of our fellow Filipinos are struggling to get back on their feet. It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,' Romualdez said.
'I have requested the Office of the Secretary General, if possible, to retain formal protocols but forego red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage and ceremonial staging. We will still observe decorum and tradition, but without the spectacle. The red carpet will be used for its functional purpose, not as a platform for display,' Romualdez added.
Romualdez, however, said that members of the House remain free to speak with journalists on their way in, as is customary.
'This is not about restricting access or silencing anyone. It's about setting the tone: focused, grounded and responsive. The opening of Congress is not a fashion event, it is a working session. Let's begin it with the seriousness and humility our times demand,' Romualdez said.
Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin backed Romualdez, saying it is the message of the President, not the pomp, that matters.
'We have to dress simply so people will be able to feel that we are one with them. SONA should not be projected as an event for the elite. It is an event for the people, for our people to know of the government's plans and how they are able to benefit from it,' Garin said.
'We won't have a lavish menu, and other expenses should be for things that we can still use for everyday work in Congress. And most of the preparations I have seen so far are related to the day-to-day operations in Congress,' Garin added.
The First Regular Session of the 20th Congress will formally open on July 28, ahead of the President's SONA at 4 pm. — LA, GMA Integrated News
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