A brief history of presidential inaugurations

When he takes his oath on June 30, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III will become only the fifth Philippine president to be sworn into office on this date. Before the 1987 Constitution required presidential inaugurations to take place at noon of June 30, former presidents from Emilio Aguinaldo to Corazon Aquino took their oaths on different dates, according to research on past inaugurations done by writer and historian Manuel L. Quezon III. In the more distant past, presidents were previously elected in November and inaugurated on December 30 — Jose Rizal Day — at the Quirino Grandstand (formerly Independence Grandstand) in Luneta. Quezon said the heads of state felt it was "appropriate" to hold the inauguration on Rizal Day, which marks the martyrdom of the country's national hero. He added that presidents usually choose the Quirino Grandstand as the inauguration venue because it faces the spot where Rizal was buried, and also the site of the independence ceremony in 1946, after World War II. "The whole story of independence (is) symbolized there," Quezon told GMANews.TV. Six presidents have taken their respective oaths at the Quirino Grandstand: Elpidio Quirino (1949), Ramon Magsaysay (1953), Carlos P. Garcia (December 1957), Diosdado Macapagal (1961), Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965, 1969, and 1981), and Fidel V. Ramos (1992). Other presidents took their oath of office at various other venues: Manuel L. Quezon (1935), Jose Laurel (1943), and Manuel Roxas (1946) at the Legislative Building in Manila; Sergio Osmeña (1944) in Washington D.C. in the United States; Elpidio Quirino (1949) and Carlos Garcia (March 1957) at the Malacañan Palace; and Aquino (1986) at Club Filipino in San Juan. Only former presidents Joseph Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo took their oaths and delivered their inaugural speeches in two different venues.

President Joseph Estrada, surrounded by his family, takes his oath as the 13th President of the country during a ceremony on June 30, 1998 in Malolos, Bulacan, north of Manila. Administering the oath is Supreme Court Chief Justice Andres Narvasa. AP File Photo

Both presidents delivered their inaugural speech at the Quirino Grandstand but Estrada (1998) took his oath at the Barasoain Church in Malolos City. Quezon said Estrada opted to take his oath at the historical landmark in observance of the Philippine centennial. Aguinaldo, the Philippines’ first president, also took his oath there. According to the National Historical Institute, the Barasoain Church is the site of at least three major historical events, including the drafting of the country's very first democratic Constitution. Meanwhile, Arroyo (2004) took her oath at the capitol building of Cebu City in the Visayas, the Philippines’ third-largest island, making her the first Philippine president to be sworn into office outside the main island of Luzon. "Cebu gave (Mrs. Arroyo) her biggest vote and she was worried about protests (if she held her oath-taking in Manila)," said Quezon.

Witnessed by family members, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, left, takes her oath as the country's 14th President during inauguration ceremony at the provincial capitol of the central Philippine city of Cebu on June 30, 2004. Administering the oath is Philippine Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. AP File Photo

Mrs. Arroyo also intentionally held her first Cabinet meeting in 2004 in Butuan City in Mindanao, allowing her to travel across the Philippines’ three main islands during her inauguration day. Simultaneous inaugurations While some presidential inaugurations share the same date and venue, each one is defined by the feel of the period in Philippine history. Perhaps the most notable would be the simultaneous oath-taking of the late president Corazon Aquino and former president Ferdinand Marcos on the last day of the EDSA People Power revolution in 1986. By then, Marcos’ nearly two-decade-long rule was coming to an end.

Corazon Aquino takes the oath of office as President of the Philippines on Feb. 25, 1986 in Manila. She is joined by daughters Pinky, left, Balsy, center, and her mother-in-law Dona Aurora Aquino, mother of her assassinated husband. AP File Photo

In December 1985, as local and international pressure for Marcos’ resignation increased, the late dictator announced that snap elections would be conducted on February 7, 1986. But the offiicial results of the snap elections were contested, with charges of wholesale cheating and intimidation. The Commission on Elections (Comelec), which Marcos controlled, proclaimed him the victor. However, the National Citizens' Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), the election watchdog, insisted that Corazon Aquino, widow of Marcos critic and assassinated senator Benigno Aquino Jr., was the rightful winner. So on February 25, 1986, both Marcos and Aquino took their respective oaths: Marcos at the Malacañan Palace in front of a crowd of Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) loyalists, and Aquino in a simple ceremony in front of hundreds of yellow-clad supporters at Club Filipino in Greenhills. After Marcos' inauguration, the people power revolt forced Marcos and his family into exile. Marcos takes oath thrice Before his ouster, Marcos took his oath as president of the Philippines three times: the first on December 30, 1965; the second on December 30, 1969; and the last on June 30, 1981. But he was not the only president to take his oath more than once. Quezon also took his oath three times: on November 15, 1935; on December 30, 1941; and the last on November 15, 1943, when his second term had to be extended because of World War II.

President Ferdinand E. Marcos (2nd from right) is sworn in by Supreme Court Chief Justice Ramon Aquino (left) at ceremony inside Malacanang in Manila on Feb. 25, 1986. At right is First Lady Imelda Marcos. AP File Photo

Meanwhile, Roxas (May 28, 1946 and July 4, 1946), Quirino (April, 1948 and December 30, 1949), Garcia (March 1957 and December 30, 1957) and Arroyo (January 2001 and June 30, 2004) all took their oaths twice. Roxas had to retake his oath after the Philippines became independent from the United States on July 4, 1946. He became the president of the Republic of the Philippines after the country ceased being a Commonwealth nation. Quirino and Garcia both had to take over the terms of their respective presidents — Roxas and Magsaysay, who both died in office — and took their second oaths when they both won in subsequent presidential elections. Arroyo first took her oath as president in January 2001, when popularly elected president Joseph Estrada had to step down following corruption allegations that triggered EDSA II. In 2004, she was proclaimed the president over popular actor Fernando Poe Jr. but her victory was tainted with allegations of electoral fraud after a taped conversation between Arroyo and former Commissioner Virgilio Garcillano on alleged vote-rigging surfaced the following year. Nevertheless, Arroyo survived what became known as the "Hello Garci" scandal, finally ending her full six-year term Thursday. The Oath Since 1935, the oath of office of the President of the Philippines has followed the same text: English I do solemnly swear [or affirm] that I will faithfully and conscientiously fulfill my duties as President [or Vice-President or Acting President] of the Philippines, preserve and defend its Constitution, execute its laws, do justice to every man, and consecrate myself to the service of the Nation. So help me God." [In case of affirmation, last sentence will be omitted] Tagalog Matimtim kong pinanunumpaan (o pinatotohanan) na tutuparin ko nang buong katapatan at sigasig ang aking mga tungkulin bilang Pangulo (o Pangalawang Pangulo o Nanunungkulang Pangulo) ng Pilipinas, pangangalagaan at ipagtatanggol ang kanyang Konstitusyon, ipatutupad ang mga batas nito, magiging makatarungan sa bawat tao, at itatalaga ang aking sarili sa paglilingkod sa Bansa. Kasihan nawa ako ng Diyos." (Kapag pagpapatotoo, ang huling pangungusap ay kakaltasin.) The present oath is contained in Article VII, Section VII of the 1935 Philippine Constitution and in Article VII, Section V of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Note that the Constitution specifies the title of the chief executive as President of the Philippines, not President of the Republic of the Philippines, which is only used in certain diplomatic documents. According to Quezon, nine presidents took their oath in English while four used the Filipino version. Aguinaldo is the only president to take his oath in Spanish. Incoming president Noynoy Aquino has announced that he will take his oath in both English and Filipino. The new president will be sworn in by Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales instead of Chief Justice Renato Corona, whose last-minute appointment was questioned by Aquino. Morales will be the second Filipino associate justice to administer the oath of a Philippine president. In 1899, the speaker of the Malolos Congress administered Aguinaldo's oath of office because he was elected by the said Congress. Aquino has made other changes in the inauguration rites, including the recital of the pledge of support for the Aquino administration by his campaign volunteers and the general public. The pledge will be called "Panata sa Pagbabago" (Pledge for Change). Quezon said it is up to the public to decide whose inauguration was the most memorable. What's more important, he said, is the six years of nation-building that awaits the new president. "That's for every generation to answer. Each one marks a new era," he said. - YA/HS, GMANews.TV