THE House of Representatives (HRep) will implement a complete lock-out policy from July 19 to 21 as part of the security measures in preparation for President Rodrigo Duterte’s State of the Nation Address on July 22, 2019.
Under this lock-out policy, employees and non-employees of the House who have no official business inside the chamber shall not be allowed inside the Hrep Complex.
In an advisory issued Sunday, July 14, House acting Secretary-General Dante Roberto Maling also listed reminders and security requirements for the Sona, which will be delivered at the Joint Session of Congress.
The Advisory provides details on the : issuance of color-coded Pre-sona security lock-out stickers; issuance of Sona 2019 ID cards; issuance of car passes/parking restrictions; and other pre-Sona information and reminders.
In a press conference Thursday, July 11, Maling said Sona will cost roughly P4.7 million this year, P200,000 lower than the P4.9 million spent in 2018.
The secretary general said that the expenses will cover the usual expenses for the SONA such as supplies, materials and food.
"Usual expenses po, supplies and materials para po doon sa Sona and preparation sa Sona. The usual na ginagawa namin na activities related sa Sona,” he said.
There will be around 1,500 attendees, the maximum seating capacity at the House.
As of July 11, no security threats have been monitored against the Sona, said Sergeant-at-Arms Romero Prestoza.
"When it comes to security threats, wala pa namang substantial. Wala pang nakakarating na actual na threat. We have a very good coordination with all the intelligence units of the Armed Forces to include NICA relative sa possible na threat at saka if ever, naka-prepare naman kami," Prestoza said.
Prestoza said the Presidential Security Guard (PSG) will order jamming of mobile phone signals as a security measure. (With Ryniel Berlanga/SunStar Philippines)