'No more red carpet': Lawmakers call for toned-down SONA

Lawmakers are advocating for the discontinuation of the traditional red carpet at this Monday's State of the Nation Address on July 28.

Over the past few years, public attention during the SONA has often focused on the elegant attire of attendees. However, with the country currently grappling with widespread floods due to the storms, they argue that this emphasis on fashion should cease.

“In the past weeks, tropical cyclones Crising, Dante and Emong have displaced families, destroyed livelihoods, and left many of our kababayan struggling to get back on their feet,” said Speaker Martin Romualdez. “It would be out of touch to maintain a show of pageantry while our people are still in recovery.”

Romualdez requested that the Office of the Secretary General forego the usual red carpet fanfare, fashion coverage, and ceremonial staging, while still maintaining formal protocols.

“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.

“This is not about restricting access or silencing anyone. It’s about setting the tone: focused, grounded and responsive,” Romualdez stressed.

Senators Tito Sotto III and Juan Miguel Zubiri, for their part, shared the same opinion.

Sotto said, "Calling on the Senate protocol—[I] suggest you discontinue the fashion show and red carpet proposals on Monday which info [I] just received. Naka[ka]hiya sa mga kababayan nating binaha!"

According to Zubiri, attention should be directed towards people in flooded areas who are vulnerable to leptospirosis.

"The Pomp & Pageantry must be toned down or outright removed in deference to all those that are suffering due to the floods that hit all around the Philippines. Wag tayong maging kapal mukha o manhid sa pangyayari sa ating mga kababayan," Zubiri said.

Sen. Loren Legara, on her Facebook page, said that the SONA "must be made simple."

"The Senate opening and the SONA must be made simple, as it should be, attuned with the times. Our people are suffering from the floods. We must use the occasion to solve the problems, to be part of the solution to this long standing problem, and not to be out of touch with the real state of the nation," she wrote on Facebook.

Sen. JV Ejercito emphasized that the event shouldn't be used as an excuse to dress up like they're at the Oscars.

"Mula noon, ang aking posisyon sa SONA ay pareho pa rin, hindi dapat ito ginagawang magarbong okasyon gayong marami pa rin tayong mga kababayang naghihirap," he said. "Di ko nga alam bakit naging fashion show at pagarbuhan ng pananamit at gamit itong okasyong ito na parang Oscars Award. Hindi ito ang pagkakataon para rumampa at magpasikat. Hindi ito tama at hindi dapat," he said in a statement.

Akbayan Party-list Rep. Perci Cendaña also called his fellow lawmakers to set aside the fanfare and be reminded of the SONA's true purpose.

"Hindi ito panahon para magpa-bongga. Ito ay panahon para sa malasakit, pagpapakumbaba at agarang aksyon. Ako po ay buong kababa ang loob na nananawagan sa kapwa kong mambabatas. Kusa na po nating gawing payak o simple ang pagdaraos ng SONA sa Lunes. Napaka insensitive po kung i-roroll out ang red carpet para sa SONA, habang ang ating mga kababayan ay walang bubong na masilungan," he said.

"Balikan natin ang layunin ng SONA ayon sa Konstitusyon. Trabaho ng Pangulo na mag-report sa Kongreso at sambayanan. Trabaho natin na makinig at himayin ang kanyang report," he continued.