Facing headwinds and history, Philippines president Marcos to make policy speech

MANILA, July 24 (AP): Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will deliver his first State of the Nation address with momentum from his landslide election victory, but he's hamstrung by history as an ousted dictator’s son and daunting economic headwinds.

More than 20,000 policemen, anti-riot contingents and troops were deployed in Metropolitan Manila, where a gun ban has been imposed, to secure the late-afternoon ceremony before a joint session of Congress at the House of Representatives.