Thursday, February 19, 2004
Yap: ‘May lakan ‘dyan’
By Januar E.Yap
Meanwhile
(Continued)
Good morning, Mr. President.
Did you get a good sleep on your first day at the Palace, sir?
We’re now in the second part of our tour. Yesterday, we stopped at the Reception Hall where I told you a few trivia on the Czech chandeliers. Well, today, we’ll start with the Ceremonial Hall. Since the 1979 renovation, this is now the largest room in the Palace. State dinners and larger assemblies, and since Ramos’ term, this has become the venue for the mass oath taking of public officials. On your right are three glass doors opening to the verandah where you can have a spectacular view of the Pasig river.
Traditionally, foreign dignitaries present their credentials to the president right on this Hall, sir. You, will have to wait at the far end of the hall to welcome your guests who will do the ritual walk on red carpet from the Grand Staircase, Reception Hall, and then before you. The guest will hand in his documents of credence to you, and you will hand it to your Foreign Secretary.
We’re now at the State Dining Room. This can accommodate up to 50 guests, but of late this room has been used for Cabinet meetings. In April 1901, the emaciated soldier Manuel Quezon, who would later become the president, descended from the mountains all the way to Malacañang to seek mercy and ask Gen. Douglas MacArthur if Aguinaldo was indeed captured. Right in this room, Aguinaldo was held a prisoner of war.
This is Malacañang’s version of the Oval office, the Rizal Room. This is where you will hold office for the next six years. This is the country’s nerve center, the decisions you make here
This will be it for now, Mr. President. The rest of the other areas we will tour in the course of your job here for the next six years. They are the Music Room, the Palace Gardens, etc.
By the way, it is best that you do your regular press conference first thing in the mornings. You’ll have a wake-up call every 5 a.m.
Good luck, Mr. President, and enjoy your stay.
(February 19, 2004 issue)
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