President Duterte will skip the country’s Independence Day celebration in Manila today and instead will send a Cabinet member in his stead amid the government’s restrictions on mass gathering.
Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea will represent the President during today’s flag-raising ceremony to be held at Rizal Park since the President’s presence might only attract large crowds, according to presidential spokesman Harry Roque. The President’s Independence Day is expected to be shown on television afterwards.
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases had earlier allowed the traditional Independence Day celebration at Rizal Park but limited the number of participants to 10 as a precaution against the coronavirus outbreak.
“Dahil 10 lang tao ang pinayagan ng IATF ang problema talaga, kapag nandiyan ang Presidente dadami ang tao na nais na lumapit sa kanya, hindi maiiwasan ‘yan. Kahit saan tayo magcelerate sa Luneta o sa Davao, ‘yan ang problema,” Roque said.
“So ang mangyayari tinalaga niya si Executive Secretary para magrepresentante sa paglalagay ng wreath at flag-raising sa Luneta at matapos ang seremoniya, ipe-play ang address ng Pangulo natin ‘yung kanyang June 12 Independence Day address ng Pangulo. So kabagahi ang kanya talumpati at mensahe sa program sa Luneta,” he added.
Roque said the President is still currently in Davao City but his trip back to Manila will be made earlier than scheduled. (Genalyn Kabiling)