LEYTE 1st District Representative and former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez on Thursday called for the simplification of ceremonial arrangements for the opening of the 20th Congress and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA), citing the need for sobriety in light of recent natural disasters.
Romualdez, who served as Speaker of the 19th Congress, urged the Office of the Secretary General to retain formal protocols while foregoing the usual red carpet treatment, fashion coverage, and elaborate staging commonly seen at the annual SONA event.
“In the past weeks, Typhoons Crising, Dante, and Emong have displaced families, destroyed livelihoods, and left many of our kababayan struggling to get back on their feet,” Rep. Romualdez, who served as Speaker in the 19th Congress, said.
“It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery,” Rep. Romualdez, a lawyer from the University of the Philippines (UP) and Philippine Constitution Association (Philconsa), added.
Rep. Romualdez said he has requested the Office of the Secretary General, if possible, to retain formal protocols but forego red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage and ceremonial staging.
“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,” he said.
He clarified that Members of Congress remain free to speak with media on their way in, as is customary.
“This is not about restricting access or silencing anyone. It’s about setting the tone: focused, grounded and responsive,” Rep. Romualdez stressed.
“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.
The 20th Congress will formally open on July 28, followed by the President’s address to the nation.
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