Palace says Duterte will stick to speech in third SONA

MANILA, Philippines — Unlike during his first two State of the Nation Addresses, President Rodrigo Duterte is expected to stick to a prepared speech that came from "his heart," Malacañang said Tuesday. 
 
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte's 35-minute speech would not dwell on the government's accomplishments because Cabinet members are already holding press briefings about the matter. 

"The president said he would read his SONA and it won't exceed 35 minutes," Roque said in a press briefing in Cavite. 

"So the president need not repeat the accomplishments discussed by the members of his Cabinet and will speak from the heart," he added. 

Duterte did not follow his script during his first two SONAs and chose to deliver extemporaneous remarks about his critics, illegal drugs, crime and other topics that interest him. 

In 2016, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Duterte's first SONA would last for about 38 minutes. The speech lasted for one hour and 40 minutes.

The president's second address ran for about two hours. 

"The president promised that it (SONA) won't be long, that he won't [extemporize], he will read it. And I know there is a very close coordination between the individuals preparing the speech and the president himself," Roque said. 

Gowns not allowed

Roque said the president wants his third SONA to be simple like his previous ones. 

"I’m sure the ladies will not like it but I don’t think the president will deviate," Roque said. 

"The ladies have found a way to look glamorous given the limitation that no gowns allowed. So they have been very successful in being very elegant and yet not wearing gowns for the SONA," he added. 

Film director Joyce Bernal will direct this year's SONA. The first two addresses were directed by independent film director Brillante Mendoza. — Alexis Romero