The government will allocate approximately P20 million for the food of over 2,000 guests at the third State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., according to House Secretary General Reginald Velasco. This event will take place on July 22 at the House of Representatives.
“The [food budget] is around that figure of [P20 million], but we cannot reveal [the final figure yet] since caterers also have security concerns. We cannot reveal yet due to security concerns,” Velasco said.
This budget covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the event. Velasco explained that the cost is justified given the number of attendees, including hundreds of security personnel and 2,000 to 3,000 Congress personnel. The total number of guests is expected to be the highest in history for a SONA, indicating significant interest in the event.
“I think this will be the biggest [number of SONA attendees] in history, by the number of confirmations we have received. They really want to hear the President or they want to be involved in state affairs. Being invited to the SONA is an honor,” Velasco noted.
However, Vice President Sara Duterte is not yet among the confirmed attendees. Velasco emphasized that attendance is voluntary, and even members of the House and Senate are free to decide whether to attend.
“We cannot speak for the Vice President. Let her and the office decide if they will attend or not,” Velasco said. He added that VIP guests like the Vice President can confirm their attendance or cancel at the last minute, and the House will adjust accordingly.
Vice President Duterte, who recently resigned from her roles as Education Secretary and vice chairperson of the government’s anti-insurgency task force, has not yet confirmed her attendance for the SONA. Her predecessor, former Vice President Leni Robredo, attended all six SONAs of former President Rodrigo Duterte, based on House records.