DAVAO CITY, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte will be in Davao three days before his second State of the Nation Address on Monday.
In a press conference on Thursday, John Tria, program head of Davao Investment Conference (ICON), Duterte will deliver a speech before the business sector at the Davao ICON here on Friday.
Tria said Duterte will be accompanied by cabinet secretaries including Transportation and Communication Secretary Arturo Tugade, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez and Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Martin Andanar told a radio interview on Thursday that he will also be assisting the President to prepare for the SONA.
“I will be in Davao later and then Gensan (General Santos City) to assist the President. I will assist him on the finalization of what should be done during the SONA,” he said.
Andanar said although Duterte is not used to using a teleprompter there will still be a speech that the President can read in front.
He said they will await Duterte’s decision if he will use it.
“We in the PCOO, will be prepared for the distorted audio. He is really not used to prompters, he does not like it. So we will see what his decision will be later,” he said.
Andanar said Duterte’s speech is still “70 to 80 percent” completed. He said Duterte’s speech will include his top accomplishments, including the foreign direct investments and the anti drug war.
In a separate radio interview on July 13, Andanar said Duterte will be assisted by interpreters for members of the diplomatic corps who cannot understand Cebuano and Tagalog, which the Mindanaoan President usually uses interchangeably during his speeches.
Andanar said there will also be sign language interpreters for the deaf mute. (davaotoday.com)
