Congress all set for SONA

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives said Thursday that all is set for the opening of the first regular session of Congress on July 22 and for President Benigno Aquino III's State of the Nation Address (SONA).

House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said "everything's smooth" in the preparations for Aquino's fourth SONA next week.

"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," she said.

The official added that they expect a "hands-down" re-election of Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. in the opening of the next Congress.

Yap said Belmonte created a task force for the SONA preparations as early as March 4. It will also assist in the activities for the first regular session of the 16th Congress.

In a press briefing on Thursday, Senator Franklin Drilon said Acting President Jinggoy Estrada will open the session on July 22 and then the results of the 2013 elections will be officially entered into the records.

This will be done through the reading of the Commission on Election's resolution proclaiming the 12 senatorial winners.

"Then they will formally take their oaths then election of the officers will follow. After they take their oaths, the roll call will establish the quorum then afterwards the election of the officers," Franklin said in the briefing, a transcript of which was uploaded to the Senate website.

On Wednesday, Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said Aquino's SONA remains a "work in progess" a few days before July 22.

“I can very well confidently and categorically say that. More or less, it’s a work in progress."

Earlier this week, Aquino himself said that his highly-anticipated speech still has a long way to go.

"Kausap ko po ng mga tatlong oras ang aking mga speechwriters, at sinabi ko sa kanila, tulad ng dati, 'Malayo pa bago natin matapos ang paghahanda sa SONA,'" Aquino said in his speech during the 67th anniversary of the University of the Philippines Beta Sigma Fraternity last Monday.