Bayan expects bigger SONA protest this year

The protests on the day of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s State of the Nation Address (SONA) will be bigger this year, progressive group Bayan said on Tuesday.

In a press briefing, Bayan Secretary General Mong Palatino said more people were angry and enlightened a year after Marcos assumed the presidency.

“The SONA protest this year will be bigger compared to last year. Mas maraming galit. Mas marami ang naliwanagan. Kasama yung mga kababayan natin na gustong i-register yung protest doon sa mga polisiya ni Marcos,” he said.

(The SONA protest this year will be bigger compared to last year. More people are angry and enlightened. Together with our countrymen who would like to register their protest against Marcos’ policies.)

According to progressive groups, thousands of people and 50 organizations would join the protest, not only in Metro Manila, but also in different places across the country.

Palatino said the protest would push through “rain or shine.”

In the morning of the SONA on July 24, different groups will gather in different areas to conduct their own programs before they merge in the Commonwealth-Tandang Sora area in Quezon City, he said.

A labor group will conduct a forum at a covered court in the Quezon Memorial Circle. A teachers’ group will hold a “zumba protest” to call for a salary increase.

The Sanlakas coalition will gather in front of the National Housing Authority (NHA) office, while the Bayan Southern Tagalog chapter will stay in the Philcoa area.

The program of Bayan will start at the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) office at 9 a.m.

Palatino said the groups of different sectors would merge at the CHR office by 11:00 a.m. before they march to the Commonwealth-Tandang Sora area for the “People’s SONA” program.

The program will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Palatino said Marcos' effigy would be burned in the morning because in their experience during past SONA protests, there were downpours in the afternoon.

According to Palatino, the event would mainly support calls by the labor sector for a wage increase. — DVM, GMA Integrated News