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SONA should not be red carpet affair amid flood devastation — solon
Akbayan party-list Rep. Percival Cendaña proposed a more modest and austere State of the Nation Address (Sona) for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth address, citing the hardships faced by Filipino families due to recent calamities.
Cendaña suggested that public officials should be sensitive to the difficulties experienced by communities affected by heavy rains and the southwest monsoon.
He argued that the resources and efforts dedicated to elaborate Sona preparations could be better utilized to provide aid to affected areas.
The lawmaker stressed that the current situation calls for empathy, humility, and decisive action rather than pomp and extravagance.
Cendaña highlighted the insensitivity of a lavish Sona event when constituents are struggling with the loss of their homes.
He reminded that the Constitution mandates the Sona as a platform for the President to report on the administration's accomplishments, not as an event for showcasing fashion among public officials.
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