President-elect Rodrigo Duterte will formally assume office today to start his six-year term as the country’s 16th President.

Duterte’s entry and the exit of President Benigno Aquino 3rd from the Palace will take place before the new President takes his oath of office.

As Duterte assumes power, some senators said they have high expectations on the incoming administration and vowed to fully support some of the new President’s legislative agenda.

Senator Vicente Sotto 3rd said changes are sure to come.

Even the Senate will see some changes as it plans to implement the rules strictly.

Incoming Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said he expects things to move quickly with Duterte at the helm because the incoming leader is a man of action.

"I think things will move fast especially in fighting crime. By his mere pronouncement, the police are already moving at lightning speed. I believe his experience as a mayor will play a very big role in giving care and concern to the plight of the Filipino people,” Gatchalian added.

One-on-one meeting

Based on tradition, the President-elect will arrive at Malacañang shortly before the inaugural ceremony to pay a courtesy call on the outgoing President.

"They will have a one-on-one meeting inside the Palace after which President Aquino will move downstairs to the Palace grounds where he will be given departure honors,” Outgoing Presidential Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said.

Aquino will then board his vehicle and depart, while Duterte will go back inside the Palace for the inauguration ceremony.

Aquino will return to his family’s residence on Times Street in Quezon City.

In accordance with the Constitution, Duterte should take his oath by 12 noon on June 30.

He is expected to hold his first Cabinet meeting thereafter, where he will also administer the oath of office of his officials.

There will likely be a reception for members of the diplomatic corps and Duterte may discuss his administration’s foreign policies.

600 guests include Bongbong

Duterte’s inauguration will be attended by around 600 guests, including the mayor’s long-time neighbor, Pomilda Lu Daniels, and various Davao City officials.

Until his landslide victory in the May 9 polls, Duterte was mayor of the city for more than 20 years.

Also in attendance will be Sen. Ferdinand "Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who was personally invited by the new President.

The inaugural program is expected to last two hours.

All systems go

From his wardrobe to the food for the guests, it’s all systems go for the inauguration of the outgoing Davao City mayor.

The ceremony will do away with the spectacles of previous inaugurations in its simplicity.

Incoming Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar said the preparations went according to plan down to the littlest details.

For the new President, Davao-based fashion house Chardin created a barong Tagalog made from piña/jusi fabric to be paired with black pure cotton pants.

"His wardrobe is the least of the President’s concerns, but he went to fit his barong. He is raring to start with work right after the inauguration,” Andanar said.

On Tuesday, Duterte went to Chardin to try on his barong designed by Boni Adaza. The ecru outfit has light brown and beige details to highlight its embroidery, which will depict a pattern iconic of one of Mindanao’s minority groups, the Manobo tribe.

"He wanted to incorporate a symbol to represent the 11 minorities in Mindanao. The tribal prints of the Manobo are the least complicated that’s why we have chosen them. They also show the President’s simplicity,” Adaza explained.

As for the food, Via Mare will prepare a reception that reflects the simplicity of the incoming administration yet still boasts of the rich Filipino culinary heritage.

The menu consists of lumpiang ubod (coconut pith spring roll), pandesal with kesong puti (bread with white cheese made from unskimmed carabao’s milk) and Vigan longganisa (sausage from Ilocos Sur province in Northern Luzon) grilled on the spot, monggo (mongo) soup mixed with smoked fish and alugbati (malabar spinach) in demitasse cups, fried saba (Carbava banana) slices and durian tartlet.

For drinks, guests will have a choice between homegrown delights pine-mango cooler and dalandan (native orange) juice.