‘Very solemn, simple’: All systems go for Bongbong Marcos’ inauguration

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. —PHOTO FROM BONGBONG MARCOS FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines — The inauguration of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on June 30, is now all set, with his camp saying the event will be “very solemn and simple.”

Franz Imperial, who is one of the heads of the preparation committee for the event, said on Tuesday that except for some minor details that are still being finalized, the program is all set.

“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,’” he said in a press release, referring to Marcos’ preferred acronym.

(The program we have prepared is very solemn and simple. It would be very traditional because BBM himself said in his vlog that he will not stray from tradition.)

READ: Bongbong Marcos taking oath as 17th president at Nat’l Museum

Marcos is set to take his oath of office at 12 noon on June 30 at the National Museum, instead of the traditional Quirino Grandstand, because the latter was not readily available due to the COVID-19 isolation facilities erected on its grounds.

Imperial said the inauguration will start with actress Toni Gonzaga singing the national anthem. Details for the ecumenical invocation that will follow are still being finalized as of press time, he added.

There will also be a 30-minute military-civil parade. After the parade, the inauguration song will follow, Imperial said.

“The inauguration song will be ‘Pilipinas Kong Mahal’ and it will be performed by Cris Villonco and the Young Voices of the Philippines choir,” he said.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo will administer the oath of office.

Imperial also said that while they have yet to receive details of Marcos inaugural speech, the President-elect would not need a teleprompter.

Since 1992, tradition dictated that the inaugural ceremony be held at the Quirino Grandstand, where the outgoing president will conduct a final troop review and is presented to the public before departing the Grandstand aboard his private vehicle.

After the outgoing president’s final troop inspection, the inauguration proper would then begin with the singing of the national anthem.

The President-elect then takes his oath of office at exactly 12 noon then a 21-gun salute is immediately fired after which the new president would then deliver his inaugural address.

EDV