Hontiveros backs Marcos Jr.'s simpler SONA format

Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed support for President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.'s simpler format for his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

Hontiveros welcomed the shift to a more modest ceremony, stating that government officials should lead simple and modest lives as mandated by law, emphasizing that most Filipinos lack basic security measures.

The senator noted during an interview upon her arrival at Batasang Pambansa that such simplicity aligns with the country's current conditions, where storms have left towns flooded and thousands in evacuation centers.

Velasco emphasized last week that there would be no staged ceremonies, fashion coverage, or photo setups on the red carpet area due to recent calamities affecting several regions.

Rep. Martin Romualdez requested to scrap the red carpet event given the country's distressing conditions, considering it 'out of touch' while rehabilitation efforts are ongoing following continuous tropical cyclones and enhanced southwest monsoon.