MEDIUM RARE Jullie Y. Daza There’s a 90 percent chance of rain today. Will PBBM and his 1,250 guests experience a rehash of the legendary “Marcos weather” at his inauguration? Will the sun come out shining instead? Whatever the weather, the forecast should read something like this, “A day full of hope, the start of new beginnings, unity and solidarity for the people, by the people, of the people.” Rain or shine, VIP stars will be there to witness the new President taking his oath before entering Malacañang, a return trip to a brand-new destination. In these challenging times, as the people watch and wait, wait and pray for good things, dare they dream of a better life for old and young with the world so gloomily beset by disease, hunger, war, depression? While describing his oathtaking as following the path of tradition, Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will depart from a few practices. He won’t be reading from a teleprompter, which means he has memorized his speech or he will deliver it extemporaneously, from the heart. (Better yet, no speech?) Against a backdrop of collecting over 31 million votes, a first in presidential elections, there’s more than enough reason to fuss over this President and the formalities of a time-honored ritual. Manila was first to declare a holiday, followed by San Juan, with more cities to follow if MMDA could have its way. The holiday is not so much for the benefit of PBBM’s guests as for MManilans, who’ve suffered enough and will continue to suffer from traffic jams, long queues at the jeepney and bus stops, crowding at MRT stations. Following MMDA’s advice to stay home and sit in front of the TV, my eyes will be on the First Lady, Liza (with-a-Z) Araneta Marcos. Although the President has his presidential legal counsel to advise him on matters of state, this is the first time we have a sitting president in the Palace who’ll be sleeping with his lady lawyer. We’ll be watching Atty. Marcos, a no-frills, no-nonsense lady, a smart cookie (an understatement). We’ll watch her perform whatever duties she will define as those of the President’s partner. At long last, a feminine touch and the liveliness of a young family up and about in Malacañang.