Marcos to take oath at National Museum

President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. will take oath at the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), his camp said on Thursday.

Marcos, who won the recent polls with over 31 million votes, will take his oath as the 17th president of the Philippines on June 30.

Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Secretary-designate Zenaida Angping said the inaugural committee members already inspected the area and found it to be a "suitable venue."

"The National Museum of Philippines building and its surrounding areas match our requirements for President-elect Marcos' inauguration," Angping said in a statement.

"Preparations are already in full swing to ensure that it will be ready by then," she added.

The National Museum of the Philippines, formerly known as the Old Legislative Building, also served as the venue for the inauguration of former Presidents Manuel Quezon, Jose Laurel, and Manuel Roxas.

Why not Quirino?

The Quirino Grandstand was earlier considered as the venue for Marcos' oathtaking, but Senator Imee Marcos, the president-elect's sister, said there was some level of concern over the area as a quarantine and isolation facility for COVID-19 patients are set up there.

Angping said the committee's ocular inspection team has observed that there were still several COVID-19 field hospitals in the area.

"The safety and welfare of our people are paramount. As such, we chose to avoid disrupting the medical care being given to the COVID-19 patients housed there. That's why we opted for the National Museum as the venue," she said.

Marcos was proclaimed on May 25 as the new president of the Republic of the Philippines after Congress, sitting as the National Board of Canvassers, declared him the winner of the May 9 presidential election.

Congress also proclaimed Marcos' running-mate, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, daughter of outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte, as the country's next vice president. 

Deeply honored

In a Facebook post, the NMP management assured the public it would do its utmost to host the oath taking of Marcos.

“The National Museum of the Philippines is deeply honored by the official announcement of the choice of its National Museum of Fine Arts in Manila as the venue for the inauguration of the 17th President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., on June 30, 2022,” it said..

It announced that it would temporarily close the National Museum of Fine Arts to the public to allow for special preparations and arrangements to be presided over by the inauguration committee.

“Please be notified that the National Museum of Fine Arts at the Old Legislative Building, Padre Burgos Drive, Manila, will be closed from Monday, June 6, until Monday, July 4. It will reopen on Tuesday, July 5, at 9 a.m,” the museum said.

“The National Museum of Anthropology and National Museum of Natural History, will continue regular operations until further notice,” it added.—KBK, GMA News