BY WENDELL VIGILIA and RAYMOND AFRICA
PRESIDENT Duterte may still abort his plan to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) at the Batasang Pambansa today if the Presidential Security Group (PSG) sees red flags because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID) pandemic, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said yesterday.
“You know, the PSG is very good and they’re professionals. They know that COVID-19 is an enemy. So, if they’ll make a call that it’s not safe for everyone, especially the President to be there at the Batasan Pambansa (it’s up to them),” Cayetano told radio dzBB.
Cayetano said even Senate President Vicente Sotto III has already expressed openness for the Executive to resort to its “Plan B” if the PSG decides to stop the President from going to the Batasan, where a total of 22 COVID-19 cases have been recorded, three of whom have died.
Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said the President may have to deliver his SONA in Malacañang if a guest or guests test positive for the coronavirus disease.
If the SONA is delivered at the Rizal Hall, Andanar said the number of guests will be trimmed down to less than 50.
In the original plan, 50 guests will only be allowed at the Batasan session hall to physically listen to the SONA — 25 from Malacañang, 12 from the Senate and 13 from the House of Representatives.
In an interview over dzBB, Andanar said members of the House of Representatives, Senate, and the Cabinet will undergo swab testing at the Batasan hours before the actual SONA to ensure that no one among them are positive of COVID-19.
He said results of the swab testing will be known in just 45 minutes since they will be using a different kind of test kit.
“Actually, ang usapan ay same day swabbing. Kasi mayroong swabbing na 45 minutes ay malaman mo na ang resulta. So, kung mayroong mag-positibo, malaki ang pagkakataon na ito ay ilipat na lamang sa option B – diyan na lang sa Rizal Hall (Actually what was agreed upon was the same day swabbing. There is a test kit that we will know the results in 45 minutes. So, if anyone will be tested positive, there is a big possibility that we will transfer the delivery of the SONA to Rizal Hall [in Malacañang]),” Andanar said.
TESTING
Sotto said the eight senators who will to Batasan to listen to the President’s SONA underwent swab testing at the Senate building yesterday (Sunday). Sotto said all eight will again undergo rapid testing today (Monday, July 27) before they proceed to the venue.
Aside from Sotto, the other senators who will personally witness the SONA are Senate majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri and Senators Francis Tolentino, Christopher Go, Ramon Revilla Jr., Ronald dela Rosa, and Pia Cayetano.
Sen. Panfilo Lacson, who first signified his intention to physically attend the event, said he backed out for fear he might be infected with the virus since the initial plan was for the senators to proceed to the Lung Center of the Philippines for swab testing today (Monday) after their rapid test at the Senate on Sunday.
Lung Center of the Philippines is known to have several COVID-19 patients presently under its care.
Lacson, however, said he was later told that senators need not go to the Lung Center of the Philippines for swab testing as this will be done at the Senate.
“So, hindi ko na rin binago, sabi ko dito na lang ako sa Senado (So, I did not change my decision and told the leadership that I’ll just stay at the Senate),” he added.
Cayetano and all the House attendees underwent swab test (RT-PCR) on Sunday and another rapid test is set this morning before the President’s speech, which will begin at 4:00 p.m.
“So, we will take all precautions. In fact, I’m on the way now (to Congress) to also be tested, to make sure that all who will be there (is COVID-free). We don’t want to face the problem rather than try to solve the problem,” Cayetano said.
Last week, House Secretary General Joel Montales announced the 20th COVID positive case is a female consultant of a House member who worked alone in their office at Batasan last July 14 and 15. “She got tested after developing fever. She is now asymptomatic and under home isolation. Contact tracing is ongoing,” Montales said, adding that she also went to a bank in the Batasan complex.
Montales said the 21st case is Sulu Rep. Samier A. Tan who last went to the Batasan last May 18. He is asymptomatic and under home quarantine in Sulu.
Another female employee, a committee publication staff writer, also tested positive, becoming the 22nd case. She last reported for work on July 8, interacting with no one in her office. She was tested after developing fever with colds. She is on home quarantine.
Meanwhile, a confirmed case from the House’s Internal Audit Department has now tested negative, Montales said.
Despite the cases, Cayetano said it is all systems go for Duterte’s fifth SONA as employees, staff and lawmakers began undergoing swab tests for the event as part of the health protocols being implemented for the event.
“It’s a hard decision to make because, on one sense, it’s good to do it because it’ll show some normalcy and it will show people that we’ll face whatever challenge there is and we’ll do our jobs in the government no matter what. But having said that, we don’t want new cases to come from Congress,” he said.
ZOOM VIEWING
Andanar said the PCOO has organized Zoom viewing rooms in Malacañang for officials and guests who cannot make it to the Batasan Pambansa.
Aside from members of the Cabinet, he said the Zoom viewing rooms will be for local government unit officials, Sangguniang Kabataan officials, and select overseas Filipino workers.
He said those who will be at the Zoom viewing rooms in Malacañang will still be required to wear the national costume — barong Tagalong for men, and Filipiniana for women.
Andanar said President Duterte went to the Batasan Pambansa over the weekend for the rehearsals of the SONA and later on ordered last minute revisions in his speech.
He said director Joyce Bernal also joined the President in the rehearsals to check on the technical requirements.
“Noong Friday night, swabe naman iyong practice, ‘yung pag-rehearse ni Presidente. Mayroon siyang mga nakitang dapat lang baguhin doon sa kanyang speech. Tapos kagabi mayroong additional pa na mga pagbabago. I understand ngayong gabi ang final rehearsal (Last Friday night, the President’s rehearsal went on smoothly. He just ordered some revisions to his speech. Then Saturday night, the President also made additional revisions.
I understand that tonight (Sunday) will be the final rehearsal),” Andanar said.
