Re-elected Leyte Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez called for a simplified ceremony for the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA) and opening of the 20th Congress on Monday, July 28.
In the report of RH 12 Milky Rigonan, Romualdez has requested House Secretary Reginald Velasco to keep the formal protocols, but no more red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage, and ceremonial staging during the event.
“We will still observe decorum and tradition, but without the spectacle. The red carpet will be used for its functional purpose, not as a platform for display,” the 19th speaker of the House said.
Romualdez cited the need for sensitivity during this time, as some areas are in a state of calamity and experiencing continuous rain.
“In the past weeks, tropical cyclones Crising, Dante and Emong have displaced families, destroyed livelihoods, and left many of our kababayan struggling to get back on their feet,” he said
“It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,” Rep. Romualdez added in his statement.
Meanwhile, Romualdez clarified to the members of Congress that they may still take an interview with the media.
In a press release from the Office of the Speaker, Romualdez then reminded the officials that the event is not a fashion show but a working session,
“The opening of Congress is not a fashion event, it is a working session. Let’s begin it with the seriousness and humility our times demand,” he said.
