Admitting that she hasn’t finished writing her inaugural speech for her oath-taking on Sunday, June 19, Vice President-elect Sara Duterte shrugged it off, saying that her address would be short because of the unpredictable weather.
Duterte did not use a speechwriter and opted to write her own speech. She said she’s almost finished writing it and needs the last paragraph.
“Speech is not ready. It’s almost ready; I think last paragraph na lang. Ako ang sumusulat ng speech (only. I wrote the speech), last paragraph na lang ‘yung kulang doon (is the only one missing),” the Vice President-elect told reporters in Davao City on Saturday, June 18.
“It will be the shortest. We want it to be the shortest inaugural speech for a vice president because we do not control the weather, so we do not know what will happen the next minute in terms of the weather. It will be very short, and it will focus on the messages that I gave during the campaign, reiterating what we should do as a country,” she added.
Duterte said her mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, will hold the bible as she takes her oath of office before Supreme Court justice Ramon Paul Hernando at the San Pedro Square in Davao City.
Among her expected guests are ex-President Gloria Arroyo and her father, outgoing President Duterte, who she hasn’t talked to for almost a year.
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“No, we have not seen, we have not talked to each other since August of last year,” she said.
Duterte also shared that President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. confirmed his attendance to her inauguration. Marcos himself will be inaugurated in Manila on June 30.
She also said the German ambassador, who paid a courtesy visit to her, will attend the event.
Her children and extended family members from the Zimmerman, Duterte, and Carpio plan to attend the event as well.
“After the inauguration program ... everyone is welcome to line up to get a remembrance or souvenir photo if they want to,” she shared.
READ: VP-elect Sara Duterte bares highlights of June 19 oath-taking in Davao City
Although she will be inaugurated tomorrow, Duterte will only start her term at noon on June 30.
“I’m mayor until June 30, and meron pa akong (I still have) activities dito sa (here in) Davao as mayor until June 30,” she said, adding that she will lead the first face-to-face flag ceremony at the Davao City Hall on Monday to give a thank-you message.