Marcos camp says inauguration will be simple, traditional

President-elect Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s inauguration as the 17th president of the Philippines on June 30 at the National Museum in Manila will be solemn and simple, his camp said on Tuesday.

According to Franz Imperial, one of the heads of the preparation committee for the event, the program is all set except for some minor details which are still being finalized.

“The program we have prepared is very solemn and simple. It would be very traditional dahil sabi nga ni BBM sa vlog niya, ‘hindi kami lilihis pa sa tradisyon (as what BBM said in his vlog, we won't do away with tradition),’” Imperial said in a press release.

Television host Toni Gonzaga will sing the Philippine National Anthem while the inauguration song, "Pilipinas Kong Mahal," will be performed by singer Cris Villonco and the Young Voices of the Philippines Choir.

Marcos will take the oath to be administered by Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Imperial reiterated. Gesmundo has accepted the request to administer Marcos' oath, SP spokesman Atty. Brian Hosaka said on Tuesday.

No further detail was given about Marcos' inaugural speech but Imperial said the incoming president will not be needing a teleprompter.

Meanwhile, details about the ecumenical invocation are still being finalized, Imperial said.

At a press conference of the subcommittee on security, traffic, and communications held at Camp Crame, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said the event will last for more or less than two hours.

“More or less siguro, baka two hours lang itong event na ‘to. At ito ay magsisimula around 10:50 in the morning and we expect na ang kanyang oath-taking exactly 12 noon. And then, after the speech ay tapos na ang ating event o ceremony,” he said.

(More or less, the event will last for maybe two hours. And this will start at around 10:50 a.m. and we expect that the oath-taking will take place at exactly at 12 noon. And then, after the speech, our event or ceremony is done.)

Parade

A 30-minute military-civil parade will also be held during the event, according to Imperial.

A total of 2,213 security personnel will join the parade coming from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard, and Philippine National Police (PNP).

“We have a total of 2,213 troops na mag-participate sa military parade (who will participate in the military parade),” said Joint Task Force National Capital Region commander Brigadier General Marceliano Teofilo.

He added that cadets from the Philippine Military Academy and Philippine National Police Academy as well as regular and special troops will also participate.

Armored vehicles and artillery equipment will also be showcased. The parade will also include a flyby of military air assets such as planes and choppers, Teofilo said.

For the civic composition of the parade, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairperson Romando Artes said representatives of the sectors of medical frontliners, overseas Filipino workers, athletes, labor force, agriculture, transportation, metro aides, among others, will also join.

NCRPO chief Police Major General Felipe Natividad said 1,250 “VIPs and VVIPs” are expected to attend the oath-taking.

“We are expecting 1,250 — those are VIPs and VVIPs. That is aside from the 'yung mga pupunta nating mga kababayan doon (those civilians who will go to the venue),” he said.

The incoming Office of the President and PNP Police Security and Protection Group will take care of the heads of states.

Año said VIPs will have to proceed first to the Philippine International Convention Center for screening. Around 60 buses will ferry them to the venue at the National Museum.

Artes also said the mayors of Metro Manila are discussing the possible declaration of holiday in their respective areas for the inauguration of Marcos.

Outgoing Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has already declared June 30 as a special non-working holiday in the City of Manila for Marcos' inauguration.

More than 18,000 public safety and security forces would be deployed to secure Marcos' inauguration, according to the National Capital Region Police Office. No security threat has been monitored so far, the Philippine National Police said.

Several roads will be closed to motorists to secure the areas around the National Museum and Malacañang ahead of the inauguration. —KG, GMA News