Philippine flag at Batasan gets a cleaning before SONA 2025
The flag—measuring 12 meters long and six meters wide—was taken down three days ago to be spot-cleaned, then washed in an industrial washing machine for 20 minutes by a cleaning firm that won the contract through a bidding process.
After being washed, the flag was dried and ironed before being delivered to the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City on Thursday.
Workers ironed the flag again before it was attached to a wooden pole operated by a machine and hoisted back up to loom over the session hall, where Marcos will deliver the SONA—the fourth in his presidency—on July 28.
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The Senate majority can't simply decide that the trial begins the next day. There needs to be enough time to give notice to the parties involved.) 'Pangalawa, wala pa namang order 'yung Senado dun na hindi pa kino-comply ng Kamara. Hopefully, that one week period, 'yung Kamara will be given time to comply with the orders of the Senate impeachment court dahil 'yung pangalawang order hindi ba, dapat ang gumawa nun 20th House of Representatives, hindi 'yung nagdaang House of Representatives. Kung hindi man nila ma-comply yun pagdating ng August 4, edi dun na lang namin pag-uusapan,' he added. (Second, the House has not yet complied with the order issued by the Senate. Hopefully with that one-week period, they will be able to do so because the second order states that it is the 20th House of Representatives that should comply. If they won't be able to comply by August 4, then we have yet to talk about that.) 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In their open letter, the student leaders asserted that there is an 'immediate need not only to get on with the impeachment proceedings forthwith, but to demonstrate to the public that the proceedings will be insulated as much as possible from political maneuvering and will be focused only on weighing the merits of evidence.' 'As Senate President, recusing from the proceedings of the impeachment court assures the public that the leading figure of the Senate will stand above the partisan politics that define the legislative process,' the youth group said. 'We believe that the delays in the start of the impeachment proceedings—whatever their reason—have damaged the legitimacy of the Senate enough to merit drastic measures on your part as Senate President to reassure the public that the impeachment court can carry out its constitutional duty without fear or favor,' it added. Escudero, in response, said that he does not consider the call of the students a necessity nor fair. 'Kung ang depinisyon nila ng pagiging patas as kakampi sa kanila sa gusto nila, pwes hindi patas 'yun. Klaro ang gusto nilang mangyari, at porke hindi sumasangayon o sumusunod sa kanila, eh hindi na patas. Being fair means applying the rule evenly to everyone regardless who it is,' the Senate President said. (If their definition of fairness is to side with them in everything they want, then it's not fair. What they want to happen is clear, and it doesn't mean that just because we don't agree or follow them, it's not fair already. Being fair means applying the rule equally to everyone regardless of who it is.) Escudero also reiterated that the impeachment court will not listen to anyone who is in favor of or against the impeachment trial and will only do what is right in accordance with the law. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. 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