MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino was sworn in as the country’s 15th president yesterday under cloudy skies despite a low-pressure area hovering over Luzon.
More than half a million people attended Mr. Aquino’s inauguration at the Quirino Grandstand in Luneta.
Pre-dawn rains failed to dampen the spirits of Filipinos who trooped early to the site of the inauguration of Mr. Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay.
Robert Sawi, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)senior weather forecaster, said the low-pressure area (LPA) was expected to bring moderate rains over Metro Manila yesterday.
“The weather cooperated with the event,” he said.
“The LPA did not hit Metro Manila directly so we only received brief light rains.”
Sawi said the weather yesterday was relatively hot, with the temperature at 29.4 degrees Celsius at 11 a.m. yesterday at the agency’s facility at Port Area in Manila, he added.
As of 2 p.m. yesterday, Pagasa said the LPA was spotted at 380 kilometers southwest of Iba, Zambales.
“Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms,” Pagasa said.
“The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon.”
About 2,000 Manila policemen secured the area, along with troops from the Armed Forces.
Policemen from Camp Crame reinforced security during the morning and early afternoon.
The color yellow dominated the grandstand, as well as the nearby Rizal Monument. Aquino’s supporters wore yellow shirts and waved yellow flags during the inauguration.
To honor Mr. Aquino and Mr. Binay, a helicopter showered yellow confetti on the crowd.
Military salutes Aquino
Army howitzers positioned near the walls of Intramuros fired two 21-gun salutes to honor their new commander-in-chief.
Three Coast Guard ships docked at nearby South Harbor also blew their horns.
Different organizations and local governments sent elegations to express their support for Mr. Aquino.
Streamers were unfurled at Rizal Park and a kite, designed as the Philippine flag, was seen in the sky.
Rallyists march toward Quirino
Before the ceremonies started, some 2,000 members of Akbayan party-list group marched from T.M. Kalaw Avenue near the corner of Taft Avenue up to the Quirino Grandstand.
Akbayan expressed their support for Mr. Aquino and bade farewell to former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
Manila policemen escorted the marchers to prevent any untoward incident.
Marie Chris Cabreros, Akbayan vice president, said they went to the inauguration to express their support for Mr. Aquino.
They called on the President to order the investigation of Arroyo’s alleged involvement in anomalies during her nine-year administration.
Cabreros said Akbayan welcomes the Truth Commission that Mr. Aquino had set up, but are mulling plans to file or support any filing of charges against Arroyo and others involved in anomalies.
Cabreros said Akbayan also welcomed the appointment of former Commission on Human Rights chair Leila de Lima as secretary of Justice.
“We have supported Noynoy Aquino who symbolizes change in the country, particularly after the regime of Mrs. Arroyo,” she said.
“We will be supporting the reforms of the Aquino government. But we will also monitor and be vigilant.”
Cabreros said Akbayan’s priority is food security, job creation, and health care reforms.
Police stopped the marchers from displaying banners bidding “Goodbye Gloria!” out of respect for Arroyo.
However, the marchers were allowed to go near the Quirino Grandstand to witness the inauguration of Mr. Aquino.
The marchers were told not to shout any negative slogans against Arroyo.