MIt was in Bohol that the President and some Cabinet members spent the longest session in the preparation of the details of the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA), spanning from Tuesday evening last week up to 5 am the next day. “You know, the President is meticulous. She paid so much attention to language, etc. Last night was the longest session we have. It's still a work in progress until finalized,” Press Secretary Cerge Remonde told members of the media in the morning of July 22 as he explained why the President failed to show up in the scheduled interview with ABS-CBN's Nadia Trinidad and Bohol Tri-Media Association past president Peter Dejaresco at Amorita Resort in Panglao, where she stayed during her visit to Bohol last week.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was not really rehearsing, but was actually finalizing the script and the content of the SONA, Remonde told the media gathered for the press conference at the out-door garden set of Amorita Resort prepared by Press Assistant Secretary Cecil Kristin O'Brien. In lieu of the President, Remonde explained the SONA over-time must have exhausted the President that waking up late left her no time for the scheduled interview and had to proceed to the next event in the itinerary. According to Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr. of the Presidential Management Staff (PMS), Bohol must have been very conducive as working environment.

Esperon and Remonde answered questions from the media during the interaction, while O'Brien-- former actress and presently hosting TV programs. People's Government Mobile Action (PGMA)” and “Serbisyo Muna” at the state-run television channel NBN-4- -served as moderator. Remonde said President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address (SONA) tomorrow will include clarification on many political issues and enumeration of accomplishments achieved in her eight-year stint. Remonde cited that the crisis affecting all countries in the world will serve as backdrop of the speech to sketch clearly how Philippines managed to perform well, prepare for this and accomplish a lot. The President will be citing political reform, together with economic reform, being the pillars of government, Remonde said. "No surprise, but I think the SONA will clarify a lot of interesting issues," he added.

Meanwhile, Remonde confirmed that, indeed, Governor Erico Aumentado is so close with the President and this closeness finds form in the many infrastructure projects in Bohol that the national government had helped fund. “That never happened in other administrations,” Remonde added. He also said the President is now setting the stage for good governance to facilitate a smooth transition to whoever will succeed in 2010. On the other hand, Remonde confirmed his support to the move to include media practitioners in the absentee voting process, citing his personal experience of having difficulty to vote when covering the elections in his 30-year stint in Cebu media. It will then up to the media outfits to certify their personnel as legitimate media practitioners.

On the other hand, Esperon officially announced in his opening statement during the presscon that the Road Board approved that day, the release of P500 million from the road user's tax or the Motor Vehicle User's Charge (MVUC) to fund anti-pollution projects. Republic Act 8794 provides that all the proceeds MVUC shall be allotted for pollution control through the Special Road Funds. “The Department of Budget and Management has transferred the amount to the Philippine Postal Savings Bank,” Esperon told the media. The P500-million allocation will be loaned out to cooperatives and individuals who want to convert their vehicles to be liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-run in compatibility to alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas. Malacañang has already directed the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board and the Land Transportation Office to assist interested groups in availing of the fund, Esperon said. “In fact, there are already applications from Metro Manila motorists,” he said. Remonde explained that the government gives attention to climate-related projects “for furtherance of the Green Agenda”. He said the Cabinet meeting on July 21 included discussion on promotion of green building.