(CHRISTIAN DALE)

SINIMULAN nina Pangulong Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. at Vice President Sara Duterte kasama ang ilang miyembro ng gabinete ang unang araw ng kanilang opisyal na panunungkulan sa pagdalo sa banal na misa, Biyernes ng umaga sa National Shrine of St. Michael the Archangels sa Malacañang Compound.

Humingi si Pangulong Marcos Jr. ng “divine guidance” o banal na patnubay para sa kanyang gagawing pagsisilbi bilang ika-17 Pangulo ng Pilipinas.

Ang misa ay pinangunahan ni Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula sa San Miguel Parish Church sa loob ng Malacañang compound.

“Wanting to seek Divine Guidance, President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. attended a Mass on Friday morning before going to the Malacañang Palace to officially start his first day in office as the 17th President of the Republic of the Philippines,” ayon sa press statement ng Office of the President (OP).

Dumalo rin sa nasabing misa sina Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President Anton Lagdameo, Presidential Management Staff Chief Naida Angping, National Economic and Development Authority Director-General Arsenio Balisacan, at Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.

Maging ang mga Kalihim na sina Erwin Tulfo (Social Welfare), Jesus Crispin Remulla (Justice), Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. (Local Government), Christina Frasco (Tourism), Susan Ople (Migrant Workers), Bienvenido Laguesma (Labor), Jaime Bautista (Transportation), at Conrado Estrella III (Agrarian Reform) ay nakiisa rin sa misa.

Sa homily ni Advincula, hinikayat nito si Pangulong Marcos at VP Sara na tularan ang dalawang katangian ng Good Shepherd, kabilang na rito ang “listening leadership and life-giving leadership.”

“Jesus Christ is also a life-giving shepherd, a life-giving leader. He desires his flock to gain abundance and fullness of life, and he does this by laying down his own life for his sheep. He came not to be served, but to serve,” ayon kay Advincula.

Nanawagan din si Advincula sa matataas na opisyal sa ilalim ng administrasyong Marcos na magsilbi hindi lamang para sa partikular na indibidwal o grupo kundi sa buong sambayanang Pilipino.

Hiniling niya sa mga ito na agad tugunan ang pangangailangan ng mga Pilipino lalo na iyong mahihirap at nabibilang sa marginalized sectors.

“As we meet in our offices and conference halls asking questions in our heads, may we be mindful of our people who ask questions in their empty stomachs…May we be leaders who listen to our people, especially the poor and marginalized,” ayon kay Advincula sabay sabing “Guided by truth, urged by charity, and passionate for justice and peace, may you spend yourselves in the service of the common good.”

Umapela rin si Advincula sa publiko na suportahan sina Pangulong Marcos at VP Sara at ang mga bagong halal na opisyal ng bansa.

Hiniling din niya sa mga ito na ipagdasal ang “new set of leaders” sa bansa.

Mananatili
sa Bahay Pangarap

Samantala, pinili umano ni Pangulong Marcos Jr. ang Bahay Pangarap bilang official residence nito.

“I think, from what I’ve told, the First Family will be staying in the Pangarap which is on the other side of the Palace. It’s been renovated right now, in the meantime they’re still staying in another place but Mrs. Marcos has always stayed in her own place all these years… I’m talking about Mrs. Imelda Marcos,” ayon kay Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez.

Si Romualdez ay kamag-anak ni Pangulong Marcos.

Ang Bahay Pangarap ay matatagpuan sa loob ng Malacañang Park, nasa kabilang bahagi ng Pasig River na nakaharap sa presidential palace.

Ginagamit ang complex nito sa recreational retreat ng mga dating Pangulo ng bansa. Una itong ipinakilala noong panahon ng namayapang Pangulo Manuel Quezon noong 1936.

Sa oras ng kanilang trabaho, sina dating Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte at Benigno Aquino III ay tumira rin sa Bahay Pangarap.

Samantala, kumpiyansa naman si Romualdez na si Pangulong Marcos ay “extremely well” na pamunuan ang bansa sa loob ng susunod na anim na taon.

“I’ve always seen him to be an extremely intelligent person, very perceptive and very astute and now more than ever, I can see that he really sees how he will run the presidency,” ayon kay Romualdez.

“I think that he will do extremely well because he’s highly motivated by 31 million people [who voted for him] and he would really likely be able to make a mark in the country’s future,” dagdag na pahayag nito.