Duterte’s guests to be shuttled to Malacañang from PICC

It appears President-elect Rodrigo Duterte is taking his promise of not inconveniencing the public quite seriously.

Many of his 600 guests at his inauguration will have to park their vehicles at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City and submit themselves to a security check at the PICC before proceeding to Malacañang.

Ambassador Marciano Paynor Jr, head of the inauguration committee, said the guests, except members of the diplomatic corps, will be shuttled in buses from the PICC to Malacanang.

Paynor said that there were limited parking spaces around Malacanang.

Around Malacañang are residential areas with two-lane streets.

"Lahat ng bisita, except sa miyembro ng diplomatic corps, gagawin yung security check sa kanila sa PICC, yung tent doon. Isipin nyo ang directive ng President-elect is let us not create traffic in the vicinity of Malacanang or going to it," Paynor said in an interview on GMA News' Unang Hirit.

"Hindi nila dadalhin yung mga kotse nila, they will park in PICC because malaki yung grounds ng PICC. If they go to Malacanang, they only have a portion in front of (the College of the) Holy Spirit (for parking),"Paynor said.

"Isa-shuttle ho sila. We are offering about between 10 to 12 buses for this group," he added.

He said many of the 600 guests are from Davao while the rest are VIPs such as ambassadors and representatives of foreign countries and senior government officials.

He said the guests should be at the PICC by 8 a.m.

"We are offering breakfast for those who will be checked so we asked them to be there at the PICC by 8am kasi they have to be seated in Malacanang by 10 am," Paynor said.

He said the breakfast would be catered by Via Mare.

Asked how much the meal would cost, Paynor said it would be less than P1,000 per head.

"This one is definitely less than a thousand per head for breakfast and then they (guests) will be served again a merienda cena (at Malacanang) na dahil 2 p.m. na," he said.

He said they granted Duterte's wish for a simple and meaningful inauguration ceremony on June 30. —Amita Legaspi/NB, GMA News