President-elect Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has picked the National Museum as a possible venue for his inauguration on June 30, according to his spokesperson Vic Rodriguez.
Rodriguez told DZRH that they will conduct the inauguration there if permitted by the management of the said museum.
"We have chosen a venue. And desisyon ni president-elect Bongbong ay ganapin ito sa National Museum kung pahihintulutan ng pagkakataon," said the spokesperson in an interview.
(We have chosen a venue. President-elect Bongbong decided to hold it at the National Museum if permitted.)
This move from the president-elect goes against the tradition of holding the presidential inauguration at the Quirino Grandstand.
But with a COVID-19 facility established in the area, Rodriguez said they chose to look for another venue.
"Malaki pala 'yung lugar na ino-occupy ng hospital. Pangalawa, may mga pasyente yata so ayaw rin naman naming makagambala at ayaw rin naman natin na baka mamaya ay pagmulan pa ng panghahawa o outbreak," said the spokesperson.
(The hospital is occupying a huge space. Second, we believe there are patients these so we don’t want to disturb them and we don’t want it to trigger an outbreak.)
"So we are respectful of that, kaya naghahanap kami ng ibang venue na kaunti na lang ang pagkakagastusan dahil ayaw rin naman ni president-elect Bongbong na gagastos pa nang malaki."
(So we are respectful of that, which is why we are looking for other venues where we do not have to spend a lot. President-elect Bongbong also does not want to spend much on this.)
For the oath-taking, Rodriguez said they will abide by tradition, where the president-elect will take his oath before the chief justice of the Supreme Court.
Should Marcos' plan push through, he follows outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte who also deviated from tradition and held his inauguration at the Rizal Ceremonial Hall of the Malacañang Palace in 2016.
