President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday that his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) is about 80 percent complete, with only minor “fine-tuning” needed.

While his schedule was momentarily interrupted by his three-day official visit to the United States to meet with President Donald Trump, President Marcos said that the main body of the speech had already been written.

“We’ve been working hard on it. As soon as I get back, we’ll be working on it again,” the President told reporters at Blair House, the U.S. President’s Guest House in Washington D.C.

President Marcos expressed confidence that the speech will be ready in time for delivery before Congress on Monday, July 28.

“So mahahabol namin ‘yun. I think we’ll be all right. Because what we have already written is substantial in terms of- the SONA is about 80 percent written. So, kaunti na lang ‘yung fine-tuning,” the President said.

The SONA, mandated by Article VII, Section 23 of the 1987 Constitution, serves as the President’s annual report to Congress on the country’s current state and the administration’s achievements and priorities. It is delivered every fourth Monday of July.

Meanwhile, President Marcos described as “highly inappropriate” putting up SONA tarpaulins while Metro Manila was experiencing heavy rains brought about by Severe Tropical Storm Crising.

The Chief Executive called the act an “unfortunate misjudgment,” adding that he was not aware of it.

“That is an unfortunate misjudgment on their part. But we’ve corrected it, and I trust it will not happen anymore,” the President said.

President Marcos left Washington D.C. on Tuesday following his bilateral meeting with President Trump, which focused on key trade and security issues. | PND