MANILA – More than 20,000 troops will be deployed to secure President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA), the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.

“Doon sa official na pinresenta ng (National Capital Region Police Office) at nangangailangan sila ng higit 15,000. Pero kasama na yung force multiplier natin, (Presidential Security Group, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority), atsaka mga…mahigit 20,000,” PNP Director for Operations PMGen Valeriano de Leon told TeleRadyo.

(In the official document presented by the NCRPO, they need more than 15,000. But if we include our force multipliers, the PSG and the MMDA, then we'll have more than 20,000.)

He also said that active disturbance management groups are among those included in the deployment for Marcos Jr.’s first SONA.

• PSG starts preparing for Marcos' first SONA

De Leon denied accusations by some progressive groups that their plan to deploy some 20,000 troops is “overkill.”

“Baka mamaya, pag may mangyayari, di inaasahan, magtatanong ang kababayan, asaan ang mga pulis?” he said.

(If something unexpected happens, our kababayans might ask, where is the police?)

Aside from the preparation of security forces, government officials have also identified alternative routes motorists can take on July 25.

• ALAMIN: Mga alternatibong ruta sa araw ng SONA

--TeleRadyo, 19 July 2022