THE state weather bureau said a rainy inauguration awaits President-elect Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III and Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay in their oath-taking rites today, Wednesday.
In a special weather outlook for June 29-30, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical and Services Administration (Pagasa) said the intertropical convergence zone will affect most parts of the country.
Pagasa said the bad weather system will move northward due to expected approach of a low pressure area in the Visayas on Tuesday night, bringing scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao becoming widespread over the eastern sections until Wednesday.
"On June 30, Luzon and Visayas will experience scattered rainshowers concentrated over the western sections while Mindanao will have improved weather by Wednesday afternoon," the agency said.
In a separate interview, senior weather forecaster Robert Sawi said continuous rains are unlikely to occur.
"We expect rains but these will be intermittent. There is an 80 percent chance that it will rain on Wednesday morning. But again, we advise the public to bring their umbrellas for the inauguration day," he told Sun.Star.
He said there is a slim possibility of the low pressure area of turning into a storm because it has already reached a land mass.
"The LPA is already in the vicinity of Eastern Samar. The LPA, just like storms, lose their strength during a landfall because the main source of energy is a body of water," Sawi pointed out.
No flooding
There will be no flooding in key inauguration areas if it rains heavily, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) assured.
Oscar Inocentes, chairman of the MMDA, said the agency has completed its flood control contingency plans at Times Street in Quezon City, Malacanang Palace, Quirino Grandstand in Manila, and the Quezon City Memorial Circle (QCMC).
"We will station our traffic enforcers and flood control personnel and equipment along the routes the President will take. This way, we can immediately address any problem and assure the President of an unhampered travel," Inocentes said.
A total of 140 traffic enforcers and 150 members of the Flood Control Management Office will be deployed starting 5 a.m. from the President's Quezon City residence up to Malacanang and the QCMC.
This is on top of the hundreds of traffic personnel to be fielded in and around the Quirino Grandstand to take care of the traffic flow.
At the street party, three tow trucks and two ambulance vehicles will be placed on standby in case of emergency.
Inocentes said road emergency units will also be fielded in the area to assist motorists and respond to any vehicular emergencies.
All in all, the agency will field more than 1,000 traffic enforcers and 50 motorcycle units for the inauguration of Aquino and Vice President-elect Jejomar Binay.
In a related development, the MMDA chief asked officials and rank-and-file employees of the agency to go to the Quirino Grandstand and attend the inauguration of Aquino and Binay.
Inocentes said he himself will personally witness the President's oath taking as a show of support to the incoming administration.
Street party
Despite expected rains, the police are beefing up its security on the premises of the inaugural street party at the QCMC.
Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Chief Benjardi Mantele said they, together with the Presidential Security Group (PSG), have finalized the security and traffic plans to avoid any untoward incident.
Under the Task Group Quezon, Mantele related that 2,200 personnel from QCPD and other agencies were deployed on the eve of the six-hour party, which will kick off at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
"We are really expecting around 150,000 people to attend the party. We created eight sub-task groups to oversee security for all invited VIPs, guests, visitors and the public. They said it will be a rainy event but we all know that it will push through. That's why we are asking the people to cooperate," he told Sun.Star at the ocular inspection in the area.
A total of 1,000 buffer security coming from our trainees will be there to guard the premises, Mantale added.
The new QCPD chief said they have also set up an advance command post at the Quezon shrine composed of 24 personnel, including seven from the Bureau of Fire Protection and a fire truck.
"There are also medical personnel and 100 policemen in plainclothes to oversee the security in the area," he said.
Mantele added that partygoers can avail of free parking spaces at the nearby Quezon City Hall and in the three innermost lanes of the Elliptical Road.
The police director told Sun.Star that the stage preparations were almost complete as construction personnel rushed to finish the installation of lights and other equipment.
"I think it's almost done. They just have to put finishing touches on the stage like putting up of giant screens, among others," Matale said.
A construction worker said there are three LCD screens, two of which will be installed on both ends of the stage and the biggest one on the stage itself.
Two makeshift tents were also put up at the backstage to serve as holding areas for Aquino's entourage and the guest performers.
Among those who confirmed attendance for the "Tagumpay ng Bayan" or People's Party are veteran performers Gary Valenciano and Ogie Alcasid. Young stars from major television networks are also expected to join the event.
Aquino meanwhile is expected to grace the crowd around 9 p.m. after attending official duties in Malacanang. Reports said the 50-year-old bachelor will serenade his supporters during the party.
Free train rides
Meantime, avid riders of the Metro Rail Transit 3 and Light Rail Transit (LRT) Lines 1 and 2 were given free rides on Wednesday to attend the inauguration at the Quirino Grandstand.
The Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) will offer free rides from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
LRT Line 1 traverses Baclaran in Pasay City to Balintawak in Caloocan City while the Line 2 starts at Recto in Manila and ends at Santolan in Marikina City.
The 17-km MRT-3 will pass through Edsa North Avenue up to Taft Avenue in Pasay City.
MalacaƱang earlier declared Wednesday, a special non-working holiday so that more Filipinos can attend the oath-taking of the country's new leaders. (Virgil Lopez/AH/Sunnex)