Cebuanos readying ‘people’s celebration’ for Arroyo

CEBU CITY — As far as Cebuanos are concerned, President Arroyo will eventually be proclaimed the winner in the May 10 presidential elections and she will be feted with a "people’s celebration" along the Fuente Osmeña Boulevard here immediately after her oathtaking and inaugural address in Manila on June 30.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said yesterday that Mrs. Arroyo has accepted in principle his invitation for her to have her post-inaugural celebration in Cebu, which delivered to her as much as 1.4 million votes in the May 10 polls.

"She is coming here to bond with the people," Osmeña said, adding that he got this impression from Mrs. Arroyo herself during the breakfast reception he hosted for her at the Cebu Sports Club before she flew back to Manila yesterday.

"I’m just taking the cue from the President. The President said she wants to take her oath of office, deliver her inaugural speech in Luneta and immediately fly to Cebu," he said.

He also disclosed that there would be no inaugural ball in Malacañang.

"I think the President is sending the message that the Philippines belongs to the Filipino people and not only to the elite or the political leaders or the captains of big businesses," he said.

Osmeña, however, refused to say whether the losing presidential candidates and Mrs. Arroyo’s political opponents will be invited to the President’s inaugural party in keeping with her calls for unity and reconciliation.

"They’re welcome to come here. If they want to come, fine. The whole idea is to give them space and have their own barbecue," Osmeña told The STAR.

He said though that it’s not for him to decide who to invite to the President’s party.

"It’s not my party. It’s the President’s party. She sets the tone. We don’t want to add political color to it. We asked the urban poor groups to take the lead in organizing this," he said.