Noynoy's inauguration to highlight his role as 'people's president'

MANILA, Philippines - President-apparent Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III said his inauguration would highlight his being the people’s president.

Aquino said he did not want to sound too eager or presumptuous by talking about his inauguration even before his proclamation by Congress. But when asked about it, he admitted preparations were underway.

There is no definite place yet but Aquino said, “We’re going through different scenarios.”

“There are those who helped my mother (the late President Corazon Aquino) with the protocol before. There is a historian in our group who will tell us all the traditions that we have to observe (during the rites). I want to highlight the people’s campaign and in the end, it should be a people’s celebration before we begin the hard work,” Aquino said.

“The inauguration is just a culmination of the entire campaign and the campaign was made possible primarily by the volunteers of the people’s campaign,” he said.

“So there has to be a lot of recognition of their efforts. This marks a difference in the campaign and therefore a difference in governance brought about because of the solid mandate of the people. Therefore they have to be given prominence,” Aquino said.

He said he would like to give his volunteers and supporters recognition and celebration before all the problems of the Arroyo administration were “passed on to us.”

He maintained there would be no new taxes or increase in taxes at the start of his administration, as proposed by Finance Secretary Margarito Teves.

“I understand Secretary Teves because he has to work under the present setup,” Aquino said.

“We don’t envision continuing the setup that has so much leakages within our tax efforts. He might need it because of the leakages. We intend to plug the leakages, hopefully we will not have to raise any taxes,” he said.

Diplomatic visits

The Chinese and Japanese ambassadors are set to visit Aquino separately tomorrow in his Times street home in Quezon City for closed door meetings.

Aquino is expected to meet Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao in the morning and Japanese Ambassador Makoto Katsura in the afternoon.

US Ambassador Harry Thomas had earlier met with Aquino to extend his best wishes and assure close cooperation with the incoming administration.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Michael Rudd, Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero through Ambassador Luis Arias-Romero, Tokyo Governor Shintaro Ishihara and Hannam University president Hyungtae Kim of Korea had also greeted Aquino ahead of his formal proclamation.

‘Lucky’ Senate office

With the presidency just a breath away, Aquino waxed nostalgic as he talked about Room 526 at the GSIS Building – the Senate office that he will soon vacate.

“I like it here, relaxing isn’t it?’ he said, citing the room’s natural light as well as its majestic view of Manila Bay. 

The room’s interior design was simple, adorned only with a portrait of his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, and framed photos of his namesake and martyred father.

Aquino said he first occupied the room on July 1, 2007 when he was elected senator.

A visitor, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, noted that the room could be lucky for senators.

“Those who occupied this room all got promoted. I became majority leader as well as (Sen.) Loren (Legarda). Jinggoy (Estrada) became Senate president pro tempore,” Pangilinan said.

“And, of course, Noynoy became president,” he added, drawing laughter from Aquino

Aquino disclosed the senators draw lots for their room assignments. He said he was eager to find out who would be the next occupant of the room.

Asked whether he had ever imagined leaving his office three years before the end of his term as senator, Aquino said it was obvious that he hadn’t.

An outpouring of grief over the death of his mother in August had convinced Aquino to give in to a massive call for him to run for president on the platform of change.