MALACANANG ye6ter-

day said President Rodri-

go'Duterte has vowed to
keep hfu fourth State of
the Nation Address
(SONA) on July 22
"short."
"I asked him about
the SONA this mominq.
H€ said 'Oh it will b-€
short,"' bared Presiden-
tial Spokesperson Salva-
dor Panelo.
Panelo later quipped
ttlat two hours might be a
short one for a soeech. -
The Palace official said
the President will not likelv
discuss,the government/s
accomplishments b?cause
this was alreadv the sutr
iect of *le thrce"Dre-SONA
briefings by seviral Cabi-
net clusters- The last fonrm
will be held on wednesdav
in Davao Citv.
Panelo eahier said he
had no idea whetherDu-
terte will follow his Dre-
" '
pared speech or go'off
script. Last year, Duterte
largely stuck to his speech
that lasted 48 minutes.
The President will deliv-
er his SONA before a joint
session of Congress imid
criticisrrls over his h'rman
ehts record and Dolicv on
tlie South China'Sea 'dis-
Pute.
Earlier, the House of
Representatives said it will
be spending tess than what
it spent tast year when jt
holds Duterte's fourth
SONA.
House Acting Secretary
General Dantd Roberti)
Maling who, together with
lhe House Se;geant-at-
Arrs MC,en. (Ret.) Romeo
Prestoza, bared thG at an
earlier oress conference
about lhe soNA 2019
preparations.Tonight
moniloring viith Ryan
Ponce Paqraco

Pcgcct