Noynoy Aquino

Expect the newly-refurbished Quirino Granstand to turn yellow as all systems go for the inauguration of President-elect Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III as the country’s 15th President on Wednesday.

People, mostly clad in yellow, have started to fill up the Quirino grandstand as early as 5 a.m. despite intermittent rains brought by intertropical convergence zone affecting central and southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

According to television reports, both President-elect Aquino and Vice-President-elect Jejomar "Jojo" Binay have started preparing as early as 6 a.m. for their inauguration.

Aquino, son of former President Corazon Aquino, is set to leave his home at Times St. in Quezon City going to Malacanang at 9:45 a.m.

From Malacanang, the incoming President and outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will proceed at the Quirino grandstand on board the presidential car.

Outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will be given honors at 10:55 a.m. before leaving the Quirino grandstand, symbolizing her official departure as Chief Executive. Arroyo was elected representative of the 2nd district of Pampanga.

Binay is set to arrive at 10:30 p.m. on board an E-jeep, one of his projects as mayor of Makati City.

Supreme Court justice Conchita Carpio-Morales will administer the Oath of Office to President-elect Aquino who garnered more 15 million votes in the last May 10 elections.

After his inaugural address, Aquino will take a pledge of allegiance entitled "Panata sa Pagbabago" with singers/composers Noel Cabangon and Olgie Alcasid to sing the inaugural song "Bagong Pilipinas."

Accompanied by his Cabinet members, Aquino will return to Malacanang to officialy start his six-year term as the country’s new President.

The President-elect will have lunch with his special guests, including foreign dignitaries, local officials, their families and Cabinet secretaries at the Kalayaan Hall.

Aquino will preside the first Cabinet meeting at 3:30 p.m. He named members of his Cabinet last Tuesday.

Thousands of supporters, some even coming from provinces have filled up grounds of Quirino Grandstand in Manila Wednesday morning to witness the historic inauguration of Benigno Simeon Noynoy Aquino III, son of people power icon Corazon Aquino and national hero-martyr Benigno 'Ninoy' Aquino Jr.

A handful of buses line up Roxas Boulevard and adjacent roads carrying supporters to attend Aquino's thanksgiving mass which started 6 a.m. Traffic, was however manageable as of press time.

Aquino trampled his rivals, even popular former president Joseph Estrada by millions of votes. He received over 15 million votes; his winning margin was over 5 million votes.

Aquino will be the tenth president to be inaugurated in Manila: the nine previously who were inaugurated in Manila: Quezon in 1935, Laurel in 1943, Roxas in 1946, Quirino in 1949, Magsaysay in 1953, Garcia in 1957, Macapagal in 1961, Marcos in 1965 etc., Ramos in 1992.

At age 50, is going to be the 15th President of the Philippines. He becomes president at the same age at which his father, Benigno S. Aquino Jr., died.

Outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and her successor, Benigno Simeon Noynoy Aquino III arrived at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila at exactly 10:42 a.m. Wednesday.

Upon their arrival, President Arroyo was given military honors for the last time, together with the incoming President.

They left Malacanang grounds on board a black limousine and arrived at the inauguration venue after five minutes.