With President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. set to deliver his fifth State of the Nation Address on Monday, July 27, law enforcement across the Negros Island Region has shifted into high gear — mobilizing close to 600 officers to cover both Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental throughout the duration of the national event.
The Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) confirmed the large-scale deployment, describing it as a supplement to — not a replacement of — the regular police force already operating in the region. The additional personnel are intended to reinforce security, preserve public order, and protect community safety during what is one of the country’s most significant annual constitutional events, according to PRO NIR.
Strategic Positioning Across the Negros Provinces
PRO NIR said the deployed officers will not be concentrated in a single area but will instead be spread strategically throughout the region to ensure comprehensive coverage. The goal, the regional command explained, is to sustain operational readiness, sharpen monitoring capabilities, and enable rapid response to any security incident that may arise in connection with the SONA.
All units under PRO NIR have been placed on full alert status for the event. The command noted that it has forged close working relationships with partner government agencies, force multipliers, and local government units to ensure that security efforts remain unified and cohesive before, during, and after the address is delivered.
Marcos to Speak Before Congress in Quezon City
President Marcos will deliver the address at the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City, before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives. As is tradition, the program is expected to begin at around 4 p.m.
The Palace has signaled that this year’s SONA will be scaled back in terms of production, with Malacañang confirming that there will be no celebrity directors or high-profile performers involved in the program. The event is being kept simple, according to the Palace.
PRO NIR Chief Pledges to Uphold Rights While Ensuring Order
PRO NIR Regional Director Police Brigadier General Romano V. Cardiño emphasized that protecting the welfare of every Negrense is the command’s primary obligation during the national event.
“PRO NIR stands fully prepared to ensure that the Fifth State of the Nation Address is conducted in a peaceful, orderly, and secure environment. We respect and uphold every citizen’s constitutional right to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly, and we remain committed to protecting those rights,” Cardiño said, as quoted by PRO NIR.
Cardiño further urged the public to exercise those freedoms in a responsible manner and within what the law permits. He said PRO NIR personnel would remain, in his words, “vigilant, disciplined, and mission-focused” — committed to neutralizing any threat to peace and order while simultaneously safeguarding the lives, rights, and welfare of the people they serve.
The regional director’s remarks reflect a balancing act that Philippine police commands routinely face during SONA season, when security imperatives must coexist with the constitutionally guaranteed right to peaceful protest and public expression.
Fifth SONA Signals Entry Into Final Stretch of Marcos Term
Monday’s address will mark Marcos’ fifth annual report to Congress since he assumed the presidency in 2022. The milestone is also a political one: the fifth SONA effectively signals the start of the final two years of his six-year term, a period that traditionally brings heightened public scrutiny of an administration’s accomplishments and unfinished agenda.
PRO NIR said it will not stand down after the address concludes. The command stated it will continue proactive security operations and deepen its partnerships with community stakeholders so that residents across both Negros provinces can participate in national events within a safe, peaceful, and orderly environment going forward.
The deployment underscores the importance the national police establishment places on maintaining stability during major constitutional moments, with regional commands like PRO NIR serving as the frontline of that effort outside the National Capital Region.
By the Numbers
- ~600 — Police personnel mobilized across the Negros Island Region for SONA security coverage
- 2 — Provinces blanketed by the deployment: Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental
- 4 p.m. — Scheduled start time of the SONA program at the Batasang Pambansa Complex
- 2022 — Year President Marcos took office; this SONA is his fifth and marks the final two years of his term
Why This Matters
The deployment of nearly 600 officers represents a substantial augmentation of police capacity across both Negros provinces, illustrating the breadth of coordination that a national event of this scale demands at the regional level. SONA periods in the Philippines have historically coincided with public demonstrations and protest actions, making PRO NIR’s stated commitment to respecting the right to peaceful assembly especially relevant. Residents of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental can expect a visible and heightened police presence in their communities throughout July 27.
Source: Breaking News Negros Oriental / PRO NIR official announcement
