Benigno Aquino sworn in as president of the Philippines

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Benigno Aquino sworn in as president of the Philippines
The 50-year-old son of former president Cory Aquino pledges to stamp out poverty and corruption
Associated Press
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 30 June 2010 07.51 BST



Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III is sworn in as 15th president of the
Philippines. Photograph: Erik De Castro/Reuters

Benigno Aquino III has been sworn in as the Philippines' 15th president, leading a south-east Asian nation his late parents helped liberate from dictatorship and which he promises to deliver from poverty and pervasive corruption.

Hundreds of thousands of people, many of them clad in yellow, his signature campaign colour, applauded and yelled his nickname "Noynoy" as Aquino took his oath before a supreme court justice at Manila's seaside Rizal Park.

Vice-president Jejomar Binay was sworn in before Aquino took his oath in the nationally televised ceremonies that resembled a music concert, with celebrity singers and an orchestra belting out nationalist and folk songs. Yellow confetti rained from two helicopters.

Aquino, wearing a native formal shirt and speaking in Tagalog, promised to fight corruption, particularly in the notoriously graft-ridden bureaus of customs and internal revenue. He pledged to bring a new era of good governance, reforms and a bureaucracy that will be sensitive to the plight of the common folk.

"Today our dreams start to become a reality," Aquino said. "It's the end of a leadership that has long been insensitive to the suffering of the people."


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jun/30/benigno-aqu...

---

Goodbye to Gloria Arroyo.

[SemperEadem]

1. wow... I remember when his father was assassinated and his mom

was encouraged to run.

I wish him success.

[Turbineguy]

2. Some years ago

an analysis of the Philippine economy stated that the biggest impediment to growth was the customs department.

[Octafish]

3. Godspeed, Noynoy!

Aquino comes from a long line of patriots standing for truth, liberty, equality and justice.

His father returned to the Phillipines, even though he knew he'd face imminent danger.



The bastards -- friends of the BFEE kleptocracy -- killed Ninoy on the tarmac.