THE House of Representatives is on schedule for the fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on July 27, with major facility upgrades and safety preparations nearing completion despite a compressed preparation period.
Civil works on the second and third floors of the main building have been completed, while improvements to the main staircase and hallways are in their final stages. New al fresco areas at the North and South Lounges are also expected to be finished before the SONA.
House Engineering and Physical Facilities Department (EPFD) Deputy Secretary General Engr. Renato Dela Torre said preparations began later than usual because the House had to simultaneously prepare for several major undertakings, including the country’s hosting of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) General Assembly and requirements related to the ongoing impeachment proceedings.
“Ang dami nating ina-attend-an na activities. Pumasok yung preparation natin sa AIPA kasi tayo ang host, tapos may preparation din tayo sa impeachment. But meron naman kaming ginawang group na nakatutok doon sa bawat activities. Although medyo late pero on-schedule pa rin naman tayo in terms of preparation for SONA 2026,” explained Dela Torre in an interview.
According to Dela Torre, dedicated teams were assigned to each major undertaking to ensure that all preparations progressed simultaneously without affecting the House’s readiness for the President’s annual address.
Inside the plenary hall, the overall setup will remain largely unchanged. Seating arrangements, guest capacity, and holding areas will follow previous configurations after consultations during inter-agency planning meetings.
The House also took the opportunity to carry out long-overdue infrastructure improvements, including the rehabilitation of the roofs on the sixth floors of the North and South Wing buildings to permanently address persistent leaks affecting House members’ offices.
Meanwhile, the grounds surrounding the flagpole have been landscaped through funding assistance from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), enhancing the House complex ahead of the annual event.
Safety preparations have likewise been completed. Dela Torre said the House finalized its evacuation plan in coordination with the Legislative Security Bureau (LSB), while the Institutional Information and Design Service (IIDS) produced an emergency preparedness video that will be shown before the SONA. The video will orient guests on evacuation routes and emergency procedures to help ensure the orderly and safe movement of attendees should the need arise during the event
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