Noynoy completes writing 8-minute inaugural address

On the weekend before he takes his oath as the 15th president of the Philipipines, Benigno Aquino III has finished writing his inaugural address to be delivered on Wednesday, June 30. In a television interview Monday, inaugural spokesperson Manuel L. Quezon III said Aquino's speech would last eight to 10 minutes, similar to that of the late President Ramon Magsaysay, who delivered the shortest inaugural address among the previous presidents. "Over the weekend niya ginawa ang finishing touches. Siya mismo [ang nagsulat]. Ang tantsa namin mga eight to 10 minutes, halos kasing ikli ng inaugural address ni Pangulong Magsaysay," Quezon said in an interview on GMA's Unang Hirit. (He made the finishing touches over the weekend. He himself wrote the speech. We estimate that it is about eight to 10 minutes long, almost as short as President Magsaysay's inaugural address.)

In a phone interview with GMANews.TV last week, Quezon said a speechwriting pool composed mainly of Aquino's Senate staff helped the president-elect polish the speech that Aquino himself wrote. In his speech, Aquino will "ask the public to keep on supporting him" and say the people are vital in the fight against corruption and poverty, Quezon said. Aquino will also go back on the reasons why he ran for president and what his mandate consists of, said Quezon. Aquino's oath-taking and inauguration will be held Wednesday at the Quirino Grandstand at the Rizal Park in Manila. Following the inaugural address is a "pledge of allegiance" by the people for Aquino's administration. Pray the rosary together? Before going to the venue, Aquino will fetch President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo at the Malacañang Palace. Inauguration protocal mandates an incoming president to ride in the same car with the outgoing president when going to the inauguration venue. On Monday, Quezon said Aquino and Mrs. Arroyo might pray the rosary together during their five-minute limousine ride from the Palace to the Quirino Grandstand. "Malay natin, may dalang rosaryo si Pangulong halal Aquino at baka mag-rosary sila papunta Quirino Grandstand. Maikli naman ang ride (Who knows, Aquino may bring a rosary, and he and Arroyo will pray it during their ride. It's a relatively short ride)," Quezon told dwIZ radio. Mrs. Arroyo will receive military honors for the last time as president and commander-in-chief before shaking hands with Aquino and leaving in her private car. She will then proceed to Pampanga to take her oath of office as congresswoman of the province's second district. Earlier, Aquino had admitted he might feel awkward being with Mrs. Arroyo during their car ride, but said he will extend to her all possible courtesies. The President-elect had been a student of Mrs. Arroyo at the Ateneo de Manila University. During the campaign, Aquino mulled the creation of a body to probe the controversies that hounded the Arroyo administration. (See: Noynoy wants commission to resolve Arroyo controversies formed) — with Sophia Dedace/RSJ, GMANews.TV