GMA declares June 30 a national holiday for P-Noy's inaugural

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo has declared June 30 as a special non-working holiday for the inauguration of president-elect Benigno Aquino III.

Presidential spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the declaration was meant to provide the people the opportunity to witness the inauguration of the nation’s next president, whether they want to witness it at the venue, on television or to attend the celebration after the inauguration.

The actual proclamation has not been released by the Palace.

“We want to give people the opportunity to take part in the transfer of power from the outgoing government to the new government,” Saludo said in Filipino.

“The peaceful transfer of power is a sacred democratic exercise that is the conclusion to the elections,” he said.

Saludo recalled that a holiday was declared last May 10 to allow the people to participate in the elections so it would only be fitting that a holiday be declared on June 30 to let the people witness the assumption of the winner in the polls.

On June 30, the president-elect would take his oath as the 15th president of the Republic at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila, after which he would hold his first Cabinet meeting and host a reception for the diplomatic corps.

A popular celebration, including a street party, is scheduled later that day at the Quezon Memorial Circle.

Several traditions would be observed during the inauguration, including the choice of the Quirino Grandstand as the venue as well as a courtesy call by the incoming president to the outgoing president.

Aquino is expected to call on President Arroyo at Malacañang on the morning on June 30, after which they would ride together to the Quirino Grandstand.

Much has been said about the limousine ride because of the strained relations between Mrs. Arroyo and the family of Aquino, which many say would be awkward, at the least.

Aquino has said that he would ride with the President because she was his former professor, is older than him and a woman.

According to Saludo, Mrs. Arroyo has no problem with the ride either because this is part of the transition process.

“She’s going to effect that final act of governance. That is, she’s certainly happy and very fulfilled that she was able to bring the administration to that conclusion, which is part of affirming democracy and underscoring our political strength and stability,” Saludo said.

“I don’t think this is anything that has to be personalized. This is about a transfer of power, about an outgoing administration transferring to a new one, about democratic institutions playing out and democratic processes being fulfilled,” he added.

He said whatever differences there are between the two leaders would not matter anymore on that day.

As far as what the president-elect would be saying during his inauguration, Saludo said that the Palace is not concerned about possible negative references to them.

“This is a free country. People will say what they want to say and certainly if you’re the president, no one’s going to tell you what to say and what not to say,” he said.  – With Non Alquitran, Edu Punay