Recto Leads Preparations for Safe and Orderly 2026 SONA

MANILA, Philippines — Executive Secretary Ralph Recto is overseeing preparations for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on July 27. “Let us ensure that the Sona will be peaceful and orderly for everyone. We must be prepared, our actions must be well-coordinated, and our response to any situation must be swift,” Recto said in a statement on Wednesday. During a meeting in Malacañang that he convened on Tuesday with officials from the government’s security cluster, Recto ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to further strengthen their coordination on security, traffic management, and crowd control. One of the key priorities in the Sona preparations is ensuring a rapid response to any incident that could disrupt or endanger commuters. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Presidential Security Command (PSC) also assured the government that comprehensive security measures would be in place. Recto directed law enforcement agencies to strike a balance between ensuring a peaceful, safe, and orderly Sona and respecting the people’s constitutional right to express their views. “Respect dissent, but remain firm against violence, disorder, and any threat to public safety,” he said. According to Recto, the government’s preparations are aimed at ensuring that the Sona is conducted safely, smoothly, and in an organized manner. He said the true measure of successful preparations is not only security inside the Sona venue but also the safety, order, and smooth movement of the public in the surrounding areas. Present at the meeting were Cabinet Secretary Benhur Abalos, National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban Jr., PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., AFP Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Maj. Gen. Elmer Suderio, and Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission Director Teofilo Bailon. Officials from key government agencies also attended the meeting, including Interior Undersecretary Nestor Sanares, MMDA Chair Romando Artes, Transport Assistant Secretary Dioscorro Reyes, Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Chair Vigor Mendoza II, Land Transportation Office Chief Markus Lacanilao, and PSC Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Zandro Alvez.