DAVAO CITY (UPDATE) – Sara Duterte on Saturday said she plans to deliver the "shortest inaugural speech" for a Philippine vice president, citing possible bad weather.

Duterte did not mention how long the speech would last but noted that its theme would be similar to the remarks she made during the 2022 campaign.

"We want it to be the shortest inaugural speech for a vice president. We do not control the weather so we do not know what will happen in the next minute in terms of weather," she told reporters in a chance interview in Davao City.

"It will be very short and will focus on the messages that I gave during the campaign, reiterating what we should do as a country."

The speech was "not yet ready" a day before the inauguration ceremony, the Davao City Mayor said, noting that she did not rely on a speechwriter.

"Ako ang susulat ng speech. Last paragraph na lang ata ang kulang doon," she said.

Duterte said she wanted to hold her inaugural ceremony in her hometown and bailiwick Davao City as she is aware that fellow Mindanawons take pride that the next vice president hails there.

"I know that it is truly the pride of mga taga-probinsya na merong vice president na galing from Mindanao," she said.

"That is the reason why I really decided na dito sa Davao and closer to Mindanao areas ang oath-taking so that everyone shares the pride and the honor."

The incoming vice president's father — President Rodrigo Duterte — is the first Mindanawon chief executive.

GUESTS OF HONOR

President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has confirmed that he would travel to Davao City to witness the inauguration, Duterte said. 

At least 4 ambassadors, governors, congressmen and other politicians are also in Davao City this weekend for the inauguration, she said.

"Today, buong araw nasa office ako dahil yung mga ambassadors na nagconfirm for their attendance tomorrow, they wanted to also see me today to personally express their well wishes since wala tayong oras bukas," she said.

"'Yung mga guests natin from outside of Davao City who were elected from different positions, gusto nila mag oath dito sa Davao City so we will accommodate them as well."

Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo — who also once served as vice president — has confirmed her attendance, Duterte said.

Arroyo is also the chairperson emeritus of Lakas-CMD, Duterte's political party.

"Ang personal guest ko is my family, my children I asked them if they wanted to attend so they confirmed sa nanay nila na they will attend," she said.

"'Yun lang naman. Basically it’s the immediate family and the extended family from both the Zimmerman, Duterte and Carpio families."

Duterte said she would still stay in Davao days after her inauguration as Vice President to attend to her duties as city mayor.

"On Monday, dito ako sa flag ceremony ... because I will say thank you and farewell to the employees of the City Government of Davao, to the department heads and chief of offices that we worked with during my first and second terms," she said.

"I will still be in Davao in the next few days, administering oaths doon sa mga gustong mag-oath of office nila dito sa Davao City," she said.

Duterte said she would then fly to other parts of the country to attend the oath-taking ceremonies of her allies including Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco, and members of One Cebu, the largest political alliance in the Philippines' most vote rich province.

One Cebu, who is headed by Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, endorsed the candidacies of Marcos and Duterte in the 2022 national elections.

After these engagements, the Vice President-elect would then hold a transition meeting with Education Secretary Leonor Briones, before attending the inauguration of Marcos in Manila on June 30.

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