House all set for P-Noy’s SONA

MANILA, Philippines - All’s set at the House of Representatives for the opening of the first regular session of the 16th Congress and President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

“Come Monday morning, the House of Representatives of the 16th Congress will be ready to open its first regular session and officially elect the Speaker,” House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said in a statement yesterday.

“We all expect the hands down re-election of Speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. who, with the new Senate President, will welcome President Aquino in the afternoon at the Batasan complex for his SONA,” she said.

Belmonte created last March a task force headed by Yap to assist in preparations for the opening of the first regular session of the 16th Congress, highlighted by the President’s annual report to the Filipino people.

An inter-agency committee presided over by Yap and her Senate counterpart, represented by Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Jose Balajadia Jr., was also formed to coordinate preparations for a smooth opening of Congress and a secure SONA.

Other members of the inter-agency body include House Sgt. at Arms Nicasio Radovan Jr., Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino, and officers and representatives from the Armed Forces, the Philippine National Police, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Presidential Security Group, Presidential Legislative Liaison Office, Presidential Protocol Office, and the official media representatives of Malacañang and of Congress.

“Everything’s smooth,” Yap said after the inter-agency committee meeting held on Wednesday.

The members agreed to maintain open communication to address any and all concerns that may crop up between now and Monday, she said.

Belmonte also thanked the Quezon City government headed by Mayor Herbert Bautista for the equipment and manpower to help clean and spruce up the Batasan complex.

Rica dela Cuesta, executive director of the House’s public relations information bureau, said photo booths with white backdrops decorated with logos of the House of Representatives would be set up at the lobby of the north and south wings of the complex at the side of the red carpet leading to the plenary hall.

She said lawmakers and other guests can pose for souvenir photos and staff will be present to assist them. The booths were rented at P5,000 for three hours, she said.

“We find this more economical, and guests can also have a copy of their pictures instantly,” she told reporters.

Dela Cuesta recalled that in last year’s SONA, only one photo booth was installed at the south wing lobby but it was observed that more guests were passing through the north lobby.

Quezon City Mayor Bautista ordered the suspension of classes in public and private elementary and high schools in the city on Monday.

“The safety and protection of our schoolchildren shall remain as the city’s primordial concern,” said Bautista during the executive committee meeting at the city hall this week.

Meanwhile, the decision to suspend classes in colleges was left to the discretion of the Commission on Higher Education or the administration of the colleges and universities.

The city-owned Quezon City Polytechnic University announced the suspension of classes in its Batasan branch campus.

Bautista added that the decision was also aimed at minimizing traffic congestion during the SONA. – With Janvic Mateo, Non Alquitran, Alexis Romero, Reinir Padua, Rey Galupo