Camille Naredo

Members of the Philippine National Police stand at attention during the ceremonial send off of troops on July 19, 2024 in Camp Karingal in Quezon City in preparation for the State of the Nation set for July 22. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File

Members of the Philippine National Police stand at attention during the ceremonial send off of troops on July 19, 2024 in Camp Karingal in Quezon City in preparation for the State of the Nation set for July 22. The send off was led by National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief PMGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director PBGen. Redrico Maranan. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

SONA 2024

Michael Delizo

Jessie Cruzat

Agatha Gregorio

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175307564741720240719-pnp-sona-sendoff-MT-16 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Members of the Philippine National Police stand at attention during the ceremonial send off of troops on July 19, 2024 in Camp Karingal in Quezon City in preparation for the State of the Nation set for July 22. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Members of the Philippine National Police stand at attention during the ceremonial send off of troops on July 19, 2024 in Camp Karingal in Quezon City in preparation for the State of the Nation set for July 22. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Monday said no threats have been monitored for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.&#x27;s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, but security preparations are still ongoing.</p><p>Torre said around 12,000 police personnel will be deployed to provide security during the event, as he urged all commanders to ensure that operational guidelines are clear, that personnel are briefed and trained, and that logistics are in place.</p><p>He added that coordination with other law enforcement agencies, intelligence counterparts, force multipliers, and civilian support units will be the backbone of the mission.</p><p>&quot;Wala tayong namo-monitor na threat. Natural lang &#x27;yang mga usual na mga intelligence estimates natin. So normal lang, usual lang,&quot; Torre told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame.</p><p>(We are not monitoring any threats. What we have are just the usual intelligence estimates. So it&#x27;s normal, just the usual.)</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/11/12-000-pnp-personnel-to-be-mobilized-for-marcos-4th-sona-1341">READ: 12,000 PNP personnel to be mobilized for Marcos&#x27; 4th SONA</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/10/ncrpo-ready-for-sona-2025-assures-maximum-tolerance-1602">READ: NCRPO &#x27;ready&#x27; for SONA 2025, assures maximum tolerance</a></div><p>Torre said police are also preparing for the possibility of rain.</p><p>&quot;Ang pinaka-threat natin ngayon ay weather. Hopefully mag-clear up ang weather so that mas maganda ang ating deployment,&quot; he said. &quot;Naka-ready tayo in terms of logistics. Nakahanda na tayo, maraming payong para makisukob pati ang mga raliyista.&quot;</p><p>(Our biggest threat right now is the weather. Hopefully, it clears up so our deployment goes smoothly. We&#x27;re ready in terms of logistics. We&#x27;ve prepared many umbrellas so even rallyists can take cover.)</p><p>An advanced command post will be established at the Batasan Police Station on Thursday to serve as the operations center. Advance deployment will begin Friday, while full deployment will commence on July 28.</p><p>Coordination with the Presidential Security Command, the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House of Representatives, and other agencies is ongoing to ensure the security and safety of the event.</p><p>Torre also said the PNP&#x27;s role is not only to secure the event, but also to preserve peace, uphold public order, and protect the rights of all sectors, including protesters.</p><p>He advised groups planning to burn effigies during protest actions to seek permission from local government units or the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), noting that such acts are arrestable offenses under normal circumstances.</p><p>&quot;Natural lamang na merong iba&#x27;t ibang mga sektor, may iba&#x27;t ibang mga Pilipino na magbibigay ng kani-kanilang opinyon. It is a sign of a healthy democracy at &#x27;yan ang gusto nating lahat bilang Pilipino,&quot; Torre said. </p><p>&quot;Rest assured that the Philippine National Police will do everything to ensure that you will be able to express your opinion with full freedom dahil wala hong puwedeng makapag-alis ng karapatang &#x27;yan.&quot;</p><p>(It&#x27;s only natural that there are different sectors, different Filipinos, who will express their opinions. That is a sign of a healthy democracy, and it&#x27;s what we all want as Filipinos. Rest assured that the Philippine National Police will do everything to ensure that you can express your opinion freely, because no one has the right to take that away.)</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;OVERKILL&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) and other groups criticized the planned deployment of 12,000 police personnel for the SONA. </p><p>“Para sa amin itong 12,000 na deployment ng pulis is overkill. Gastos ‘yan ng pera ng bayan na sana makatipid na ‘yong pera sa deployment ng pulis ilaan na lang para sa paghahanda sa sakuna o kaya serbisyong panlipunan,” BAYAN’s Mong Palatino said. </p><p>“Yan ay nagbibigay din ng masamang senyales na ang pulis, ang gobyerno ni Marcos Jr. ay nagtatakda ng limitasyon, restriksyon kung paano magpahayag ang taumbayan,” he added. </p><p>The groups plan to hold a major protest dubbed “People’s SONA 2025: SONA ng Paniningil” along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on July 28 to voice their grievances against the Marcos administration.</p><p>Among the key concerns they will raise are the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte before the Senate, human rights, political dynasties, and extrajudicial killings (EJKs). </p><p>Other demands include increased scholarships for students and a significant wage hike of P1,200, including the regularization of workers. </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PLAN B</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>There will likely be contingency plans on how President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be delivered should the weather worsen, according to House of Representatives Spokesperson Atty. Princess Abante. </p><p>But Abante has yet to receive details on this. </p><p>“I would suppose there will be some contingency on how the SONA will be delivered in the event na mas lumala ang ating panahon,” Abante said during a press conference on Monday, July 21.</p><p>Abante added that preparations were ongoing without delays. </p><p>“Sa ngayon, tuloy-tuloy pa rin yung preparations natin. Hindi naman siya naaantala. Of course, we will keep on monitoring yung developments ng ating panahon sa mga susunod na araw,” Abante said.</p><p>There are no talks of postponing any physical gathering for SONA, despite heavy rains from the habagat.  </p><p>“Sa ngayon, wala pa naman pong ganoong pag-uusap pa doon sa postponement of the physical gathering for the SONA,” Abante added.</p><p>Abante said preparations for SONA were 90 to 95 percent done.</p><p>&quot;The security contingent and their preparations are all in position... The medical teams in the House of Representatives Complex as well as those in strategic areas around it have been properly coordinated and are ready,&quot; House Secretary General Reginald Velasco said during the final inter-agency meeting for the SONA. </p><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><strong>BUDGET</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Regarding backlash over the P20-million budget earmarked for SONA last year, Abante said funding was used not just on the day of the State of the Nation Address.</p><p>Tulfo defends P20-M budget for SONA preps</p><p>This included for preparations for the entirety of the event with various agencies involved in the process.</p><p>Abante added that she did not have specific figures on the budget for this year yet. </p><p>“As far as I know, ‘yung mga allocated budget for the SONA katulad ng mga nabanggit last year, it&#x27;s not just to be spent on that day. Ano ‘yun eh– budget for the whole preparation for the SONA, and also may iba&#x27;t ibang ahensya rin na naghahanda para sa SONA. So, kung ‘yung specific figures, wala akong mabibigay sa ngayon,” Abante said. </p><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div>

<p>PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Monday said no threats have been monitored for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, but security preparations are still ongoing.</p>

PNP Chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III on Monday said no threats have been monitored for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s fourth State of the Nation Address on July 28, but security preparations are still ongoing.

'Biggest threat is weather': PNP sees no threats to Marcos' SONA, prepares for rain

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'Biggest threat is weather': PNP sees no threats to Marcos' SONA, prepares for rain

Michael Delizo,

Jessie Cruzat,

Agatha Gregorio,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 21, 2025 01:31 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 21, 2025 04:43 PM PHT

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State of the Nation Address

SONA

Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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Philippine National Police

Nicolas Torre III

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