President-elect Rodrigo Duterte opted to hold his inauguration at the Rizal ceremonial hall in Malacañang so as not to inconvenience a lot of people. Philstar.com/Efigenio Toledo IV
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The guests invited to the inauguration of president-elect Rodrigo Duterte at Malacañang on June 30 have increased, incoming presidential communications officer Martin Andanar said yesterday.
Andanar said the guest list has increased to 627 people from the initial 500.
He said the number of guests increased because there are personalities who needed to attend the presidential inauguration because of the office they represent.
Included in the list are members of the diplomatic corps, lawmakers, justices, as well as ranking officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, Cabinet members and some 150 personal guests of the president-elect.
Duterte opted to hold his inauguration at the Rizal ceremonial hall in Malacañang so as not to inconvenience a lot of people.
Incoming presidents have by tradition been sworn in at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, but Duterte said he does not want to cause traffic jams along Roxas Boulevard.
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Duterte’s ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman and their children, Davao City Mayor Sara and Vice Mayor Paolo, as well as Sebastian and their grandchildren are expected to attend the inauguration.
Andanar said journalists are still off-limits from the ceremonial hall, but a number of private TV networks would be allowed to put up their equipment at the Malacañang grounds near Gate 4.
“At least for their reporting they could have Malacañang Palace as their background,” he said.
Andanar and other members of the incoming communication team had a meeting with Elizabeth Hernandez and other Facebook executives for live streaming the inaugural rites on June 30.
Seeing the change
Filipinos will see a “different” Duterte when he assumes office as the 16th president of the republic in his inauguration on June 30.
This was according to Melchor Quitain, who served as city administrator under Duterte for several years.
“He will be a different person when he takes his oath of office as president,” Quitain told The STAR.
As to how different, Quitain said Duterte would play his role as one befitting the Office of the President.
Duterte himself said there would be a metamorphosis when he assumes as president of the country.
“From caterpillar, just wait, I will be butterfly by that time,” Duterte earlier told reporters.
Quitain, who also served as Duterte’s speechwriter, said the incoming president had asked him to write his inaugural speech.
“His speech will be in English and will only be five minutes long,” he said.
Quitain said the speech would be straightforward and would cover what Duterte would like to convey to the nation and what to expect from his presidency.
He revealed Duterte is not comfortable speaking the national language, particularly in long speeches.
Quitain said he has submitted the draft speech to Duterte’s executive assistant Christopher Go and another copy to Andanar.
Quitain, however, said the length of the inaugural speech might be changed, as Duterte might choose to shorten it further.
“It all really depends on him,” he added.
Quitain said the gist of the speech would be the need for everyone to take part in the new chapter of the country’s history.
“It is conveying the message that people must help and let us all move together in this, especially since Duterte is not only the president of the 16.6 million who voted for him in the May 9 elections but … of the entire country,” he said.
Inquirer,Net
DAVAO CITY – President-elect Rodrigo Duterte has approved the request of broadcast networks for access to his June 30 inauguration so that they could broadcast the historic event live, the incoming presidential communications secretary Martin Andanar said on Wednesday.
Andanar told reporters here that broadcast companies would be allowed to cover the event from a “strategic space” on the grounds of Malacañang.
“After serious consideration, the organizing committee of the Inauguration 2016 has decided to approve the request of the national broadcasting companies to have a strategic space on Malacañang grounds,” Andanar said.
Andanar said that journalists could do their stand-uppers near Gate 6 during the inauguration inside the Rizal Hall.
He said Duterte’s inaugural speech was being finalized as of Wednesday.
“The President has full editorial control of his speech,” Andanar said.
He said in jest there would be no expletives, for which Duterte had been previously criticized during his extemporaneous speeches. Andanar added the new President might use a mix of English, Filipino and Cebuano.
And for a person used to doing unscripted speeches, Duterte might use a teleprompter for his inauguration.
Andanar said that a couple of weeks ago, they asked RTVM to send in a teleprompter.
“He liked it. He liked the teleprompter,” Andanar said.
Incoming Presidential spokesman Ernie Abella disclosed that social networking site Facebook has offered to stream the inauguration live.
“We had a meeting with the representative of Facebook Asia and they offered to live stream the inauguration. It can be easily accessed especially by OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) and Filipinos all over the world,” Abella said.
As promised, the inauguration will be brief and the usual rites – including the salubong between Duterte and outgoing President Aquino will be “edited and shortened” to an estimated duration of five hours.
Incoming Vice President Leni Robredo’s presence in the President’s inauguration had not been considered, said Andanar and Abella.
There will be no partying too and that the incoming President decided to do away with the traditional vin d’honneur.
“There will be no champagne popping, no caviar, no blue cheese,” Andanar said.
Instead, a diplomatic reception will be held but the types food to be served were not divulged by Andanar and Abella.
After the inauguration, Duterte will administer the mass oath taking of Cabinet members, to be followed by a meeting with the diplomatic corps.
Regarding the incoming First Family, it is not year clear who will be standing beside Duterte but both Andanar and Abella have confirmed that people close to Duterte, including his children Sara, Paolo, Sebastian and Veronica, will be there.
Members of his Cabinet and councilors of Davao City were also invited but were strictly advised not to bring their spouses.
Abella and Andanar asserted that Duterte, a simple man all his life, would fulfill his pronouncements that nothing fancy would be served in the inauguration.
Meanwhile, LED screens will be mounted in Davao City so that the residents will be able to monitor live the inauguration of Duterte. SFM
