Vice President Leni Robredo will attend President Rodrigo Duterte's final State of the Nation Address virtually as she has yet to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 --- one of the requirements for physical attendance at the event, her office said Sunday.
Robredo was initially asked to attend Duterte's final SONA through videoconference, but her camp later received a new invitation allowing her to be physically present at the Batasang Pambansa, her spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said on the vice president's radio program.
"Ang problema lang, kasabay nung pangalawang imbitasyon, merong listahan ng mga protocols na kailangang sundin. At isa dito, kung ikaw ay mag-aattend personally, kailangan nakapag-second dose ka na ng bakuna," he said.
House Secretary General Mark Llandro Mendoza earlier said that only those who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 would be allowed to physically attend the SONA.
Robredo is set to receive her second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine on Aug. 11, Gutierrez said.
"Ayaw naman niyang ipagpilitan, lalabag siya doon sa protocol, baka malagay pa sa panganib yung kanyang makakasalamuha doon kasama na si Pangulo," he said.
Robredo earlier said she hoped Duterte would give a "very honest" report on the Philippines' COVID-19 pandemic response during his last SONA.
The 1987 Constitution requires the incumbent president to address Congress at the opening of its regular session. The 18th Congress will open its Third Regular Session on July 26.
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