AD inauguration invites may be out this week

The Inauguration Subcommittee is planning to disseminate this week the digitized invitations to the January inauguration of incoming Palacios-Apatang administration, to be followed by hard copy of the official invitation.

This developed as Brianna C. Hunter, who is the acting special assistant for communications at the Office of the Governor, announced Monday afternoon that the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe will not be available to reserve for use from now until after Jan. 9, 2023, in preparation for the inauguration of incoming administration of governor-elect Arnold I. Palacios and lieutenant governor-elect David M. Apatang. The new administration will be sworn in on Jan. 9, 2023. Palacios and Apatang have reportedly chosen the front of the multi-purpose center as the inauguration site, which is in the center of the island and populated areas.

In a news briefing at the transition and inauguration committees’ headquarters in Susupe Monday, Oscar Babauta, who is vice chairman of the Inauguration Subcommittee, said they will finalize the invitations later that day, Monday, and approve the format. The invitations are for dignitaries from off-island and other countries.

Oscar Babauta

Claudio K. Norita, who is vice chairman of the Transition Subcommittee, stated at the press briefing that because of time constraint, the use of technology is easier by sending first the electronic copy of the invitation to off-island dignitaries, to be followed by the document invitation.

“At least it gives them time to receive the electronic copy, [so they can] make appropriate travel arrangements and so forth,” he said.

Norita also stated that the outgoing governor traditionally designates a special assistant to the administration, who will be working with the transition committee’s overall chairman on all transition and inauguration issues until Jan. 9.

Norita said they have already met with the transition team leaders and answered their questions on how to do a report as part of efforts to ensure that their people in both the transition and inauguration teams hit the ground running.

“So we’ve done all of that. All the background checking and we’ve issued ID cards for them,” he said.

Norita said if the Commonwealth Election Commission board is done the certification of the gubernatorial runoff election results by 3:30pm today, then they will start working at 3:31pm.

He said the people on the transition teams are ready to go and will start reaching out to the department heads to initiate first contact after the CEC board’s certification is done.

The CEC board has yet to certify the runoff election results due to some challenged absentee votes. The board, however, is expected to certify the results tomorrow, Thursday.

Juan S. “Lilling” Reyes, who is the overall chairman of the transition and inauguration committees, said they only want a smooth transition of government.

Reyes said he believes it is going to happen because Gov. Ralph DLG Torres is cooperating and talking with Palacios.

“So I don’t see any problem,” he said.