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Joint session called to orderSenate President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Jose De Venecia bang their gavels and call joint session to order. National anthem is sung. President Arroyo enters session hallArroyo enters the session hall through the south wing of the main lobby, with Miriam Defensor-Santiago to her right. Members of Congress greet her. Her arrival is announced, she is greeted by applause and a standing ovation. 2,000 people expected to fill session hallAround 2,000 people are expected at the session hall to hear Arroyo’s SONA. The hall was emptied earlier for a final security check, and now it is slowly being filled anew. Order is being called as the people inside the hall continue to mill around. Former First Lady Imelda Marcos can be seen wearing a pink dress and fanning herself at the front row of the gallery. Former President Fidel V. Ramos is seen shaking hands with Gina de Venecia, wife of the House Speaker. Arroyo expected to highlight “8 by 2008” planThe President is expected to highlight in her SONA the “8 by 2008” plan. The plan contains eight programs including job creation, better cost of living, a strong peso, more investments, pro-poor education, housing, pro-poor healthcare, a green Philippines and the anti-terrorism program. Part of the plan is Arroyo’s goal of achieving an economic growth of 8 percent by next year. Villar, De Venecia, solons welcome ArroyoSenators and Representatives led by Senate President Manuel Villar and House Speaker Jose de Venecia welcome President Arroyo at the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office. Members of the joint assembly of both houses of congress are not yet seated at the session hall. Arroyo is scheduled to deliver her SONA at 4 p.m. President Arroyo arrives at BatasanWearing a red dress, President Macapagal-Aroyo alights from a black BMW 7-series and is welcomed by the honor guards. She is met at the edge of the red carpet by newly elected House Speaker Jose de Venecia. She is now being ushered to the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office with her entourage. From there, she will proceed to the plenary hall using the main entrance. Choppers land on Batasan ComplexThe roar of helicopter rotors can now be heard above the Batasan Complex. A blue chopper has just landed on the platform, accompanied by another helicopter hovering nearby. Meanwhile, the session hall continues to be filled. Reports from TV station NBN indicate, however, that none of the choppers is bearing the President. Security being tightened in preparation for Arroyo arrivalSecurity is being tightened at the Batasan Complex and the red honor guards are in place. The 2007 State of the Nation Address of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is her seventh SONA since she was sworn in as President in January 2001. This is also her fourth SONA since she was elected president in 2004. The SONA coincides with the opening of the 14th Congress. President Arroyo is expected to arrive at the rear entrance of the complex where she will be escorted to the Presidential Legislative Liaison Office with her entourage. Paraphrased acceptance speech of Speaker De VeneciaMy dear friends and colleagues you have bestowed upon me a great honor today. You have asked me to lead this chamber for an unprecedented fifth term. I accept this challenge to lead this chamber to be a chamber of statesmen. I can only repay the courage you have invested in my leadership by continuing to do my utmost so together you and I can transform this House into the epicenter of our robust democracy. In this centennial of our legislature this chamber should be nothing less than the seat of our democracy. This is a crucial time of, a point of no return, and we stand at the cusp of our national renaissance. But before I go further let me extend a hand of reconciliation and friendship to those who are our rivals. We saw things differently, now our views must continue to converge. We have four more resolutions to approve and the President of the Philippines is coming by to address the joint representation of the House of the Philippines and our Senate. Let me just say that the challenge of the 21st century to you and I will be how to defeat poverty. The challenge is to complete the peace agreement with the MILF and the NPA. My friends, united we stand, divided we fall. De Venecia sworn in as House SpeakerAn hour before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo delivered her State of the Nation Address, Jose de Venecia was sworn in as Speaker of the House, the fifth time the solon has held he position. De Venecia swore to obey the laws and decrees promulgated by the duly constituted authorities of the country “without mental reservation.” An overwhelming majority in the House voted for De Venecia, who will serve as Speaker till 2010. |
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