Marilyn Cahatol

Members of an inter-agency coordinating committee conduct a walk through on July 15, 2024, as the House of Representatives prepares for the coming State Of the Nation Address of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on July 22. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

CONGRESS-SONA

Kaxandra Salonga

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — More than 200 lawmakers attended a thanksgiving Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, ahead of the opening of the 20th Congress.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px;text-align:center"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:647px;display:block;flex-grow:1" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1949378977002643724&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring&amp;sessionId=3a4197ea29b4ecc9e3281d8286429e779d10c455&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" data-tweet-id="1949378977002643724"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>“Kumbaga with all the challenges we are facing, with all the problems… it will be a good thing for members of the Congress to begin everything with a prayer… praying for of course, not only the successful opening but a really productive year ahead of us,” said Tingog Party-list Representative Jude Acidre.</p><p>For the 20th Congress, the congressman said he aims to prioritize food security by increasing rice self-sufficiency.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/25/no-fashion-coverage-house-urges-lawmakers-to-tone-down-sona-spectacle-1146">&#x27;No fashion coverage&#x27;: House, Senate to tone down SONA spectacle amid &#x27;recent calamities&#x27;</a></div><p>He added that lawmakers are also looking into ways to improve the senior high school program and pursue other education reforms to boost student performance.</p><p>Manila Archbishop Cardinal Jose Advincula presided over the mass which began at 4 p.m.</p><p>In his homily, Advincula said, “Bawat batas na likhain ninyo at bawat resolusyon na ipapasa ninyo ay umayon sa panalangin ng bayan sa Diyos.”</p><p>He reminded lawmakers that they are not only representatives of the Filipino people in government, but also representatives of the people before God.</p><p>House Speaker Martin Romualdez was among those seen attending the Mass at the Manila Cathedral.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/27/class-suspensions-liquor-ban-as-qc-prepares-for-sona-1422">Class suspensions, liquor ban as QC prepares for SONA</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hHWesp8dRxw?si=5tF3JoK49F71UvfA" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>More than 200 lawmakers attended a thanksgiving Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, ahead of the opening of the 20th Congress.</p>

More than 200 lawmakers attended a thanksgiving Mass at the Manila Cathedral on Sunday, ahead of the opening of the 20th Congress.

Lawmakers attend thanksgiving Mass ahead of 20th Congress opening

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Nation

Lawmakers attend thanksgiving Mass ahead of 20th Congress opening

Kaxandra Salonga,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 27, 2025 05:25 PM PHT

Read More:

Congress

Manila Cathedral

BBM

House speaker

Romualdez

Duterte

impeachment

ABSnews

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.