MANILA – The House of Representatives on Tuesday announced it will lift the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) antigen test requirement for vaccinated guests and attendees during President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s second State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24.
House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said more visitors are expected to attend this year’s SONA with the lifting of Covid-19 health protocols.
“For instance ‘yung (the) health protocols, we have been informed na ili-lift na yun. Wala ng (that these will be lifted. There will be no) antigen requirements. Even the health declaration, we will forego that,” Velasco told reporters in an interview following the first inter-agency coordination meeting to discuss preparations for the second SONA.
Velasco, however, noted that the guests will still be required to present their Covid-19 vaccination cards, but the booster shots are not necessary.
Unvaccinated guests and those with symptoms of Covid-19 shall be required to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result 48 hours prior to the event.
“Kasi (because) we don’t want to risk the health of all the guests, and members of Congress, Office of the President, including the President himself,” he explained.
Velasco, meanwhile, confirmed that Presidential Adviser for Creative Communications Paul Soriano will direct this year’s SONA.
He said the first inter-agency coordination meeting was held to ensure that “the guests who will be listening to the SONA are comfortably seated, and also that the media is situated in a place where they can cover the SONA and the proceedings.”
Velasco said the topmost concern is the security of the President, the Vice President, all the high-ranking officials, as well as the guests.
“We have to be sure that the security arrangements are in place,” he said.
Emergency procedures, including the provision of ambulances with life support system, and the allocation of hospital beds in the nearby areas will be provided as discussed during the meeting.
He described the coordination meeting as “very successful.”
“In fact, the atmosphere was friendly and there was this atmosphere of cooperation and joy. I don’t know if this has happened in the past. But today, I can see that everybody, all agencies, all the officials here are happy that there is this coordination meeting before SONA so that they are all abreast with the preparations and know what to do come SONA Day,” he said.
Attendees to the SONA coordination meeting were officials from key agencies namely, the Senate of the Philippines, House of Representatives, Office of the President and the Department of Foreign Affairs, which coordinates with the diplomatic corps as part of the regular invitees to the SONA.
House Inter-Parliamentary and Public Affairs Department (IPAD) Deputy Secretary General (DSG) Atty. Grace Andres, Legislative Operations Department (LOD) DSG Atty. David Robert Amorin, Committee Affairs Department DSG Jennifer Baquiran, Engineering and Physical Facilities Department (EPFD) DSG Engr. Floro Banaybanay, Administrative Department DSG Dr. Ramon Ricardo Roque, CESO I, Diplomate, as well as Sergeant-at-Arms PMGen (Ret.) Napoleon Taas during the meeting elaborated on SONA preparations, possible scenarios, room assignments, holding areas, emergency preparedness, as well as medical and security updates.
Another inter-agency coordination meeting will be held a few days before the SONA. (PNA)