Nearly 200 days back...

President Noynoy Aquino just did as we somewhat proposed, I confided in a buzz-off long ago to Manolo Quezon, a grandson of the Philippine Commonwealth President (classmate of my grandfather's, at the 400-year old University of Santo Tomas) and one of the many speech consultants of P-Noy.

The 15th President of the Republic of The Philippines "took his oath of office," more meaningfully, to 20 volunteers from the ordinary people's sectors via a Commitment to Change pledge, thus:

"PANATA SA PAGBABAGO

"Pilipino ako.

"Namamanata ako na tutulong ako sa aking pamunuan,
Sa pagtataguyod ng marangal na pamamahala,
Sa pagpapalakas ng isang lipunang makatarungan,
At sa pagpapatingkad ng ating demokrasya,
Upang guminhawa ang pinakamamahal nating bayang Pilipinas.

"Gagampanan ko ang lahat ng katungkulan ng isang mabuting mamamayan
Na kasing-tindi ng paghamon ko sa aking mga pinuno
Na sumunod sa landas na matuwid.

"Makikipagkapit-bisig ako sa aking kapwa Pilipino
Sama-sama nating babaguhin ang takbo ng kasaysayan
Upang umiral ang kagandahang loob.

"Ipinangangako ko ito, sa ngalan ng aking mga ninuno at mga apo.

"Patnubayan nawa ng Poong Maykapal ang sambayanan."

EARLIER, second President Aquino took a "more traditional" oath of office before Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Conchita Carpio-Morales at high noon of the 30th of June 2010 in the Quirino Grandstand of the Rizal Park in Manila.

This offbeat presidential oathtaking was reminiscent of the decision of his mother, Cory Aquino, who in 1986, was sworn into the presidency by Associate Justice Claudio Teehankee.

Son Noynoy Aquino refused to allow Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Renato Corona to swear him into office, due to Aquino's opposition to the midnight appointment of Corona by outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Months before the June 30th Inaugural, we proposed that Noynoy Aquino took his oath before 21 multisectoral representatives of the Filipino people at EDSA. Thank you for sharing your inaugural space with ordinary Filipinos. Pagpalain ang matuwid mong nilalandas!