Unlike in the past years, President Rodrigo Duterte will have a limited physical audience when he delivers his State of the Nation Address (SONA), his 5th and second to the last, on Monday, July 27. (READ: Duterte to deliver SONA amid fear, dissent in pandemic-hit Philippines)

With physical distancing guidelines in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, only 50 officials and lawmakers have been invited to be at the Batasang Pambansa, while the usual guests – the Vice President, lawmakers Cabinet members, diplomats, and local officials – will witness the speech online via Zoom.

The select few who will be physically present in Batasan are Duterte’s allies in Congress and key Cabinet members who have delivered for the administration priority legislations, including two highly controversial ones: the rejection of a new franchise for broadcast giant ABS-CBN and the Anti-Terrorism Law his generals pined for.

A few hours before the 4 pm address, however, Senator Bong Go, who remains a close aide of President Duterte, told reporters that the SONA might be delivered from Malacañang after a number of those invited tested positive for the coronavirus. A decision was supposed to be made by 2 pm.

As of 1:30 pm, however, these were the officials set to witness Duterte’s SONA at the House of Representatives on Monday:

Cabinet members

1. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año
2. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana
3. Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado
4. Agriculture Secretary William Dar
5. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles
6. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra
7. Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque
8. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo
9. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III
10. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea
11. Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade
12. Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista
13. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez
14. Presidential Legislative Assistant Jacinto Paras
15. Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr
16. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III
17. Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat

On Sunday, July 26, Vice President Leni Robredo announced she was not invited to attend Duterte’s SONA at the Batasan. It’s the first time the Vice President has not physically been present at the annual address, despite years of a rocky working relationship with Duterte. 

Senators 

1. Senate President Vicente Sotto III
2. Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri
3. Senator Bong Go
4. Senator Bong Revilla
5. Senator Ronald dela Rosa
6. Senator Pia Cayetano
7. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian
8. Senator Francis Tolentino

District and party-list representatives, House officials

1. Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano
2. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
3. Martin Romualdez
4. Jonathan Sy-Alvarado
5. Bambol Tolentino
6. Bienvenido Abante
7. Eric Yap
8. Elpidio Barzaga
9. Janette Garin
10. Michael Defensor
11. Robert Ace Barbers
12. Secretary General Jose Luis Montales 
13. Deputy Secretary General Brian Raymund Yamsuan
14. Sargeant-at-Arms Ramon Apolinario
15. Divine Yu
16. Lani Cayetano
17. Chicoy Alvarez
18. Dan Fernandez
19. Rannie Abu
20. Dong Gonzales
21. Juan Miguel Arroyo
22. Rodante Marcoleta
23. Wes Gatchalian
24. Jesus Crispin Remulla
25. Lord Allan Velasco
26. Claudine Diana Bautista
27. Paolo Duterte
28. JayJay Suarez
29. Sharky Palma

Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel earlier confirmed his attendance, but pulled out after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning. – with reports from Pia Ranada, Mara Cepeda, JC Gotinga/Rappler.com