The country’s president and vice president-elect are poised to take on new roles as top officers of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, a youth organization with a 2.3 million-strong membership in the country involved in honing the youth in making moral and ethical choices, becoming productive citizens of the country, as well as tapping their leadership potentials.

Upon assuming office, President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino will become the Chief Scout, the highest Boy Scout position in the land, while Vice President-elect Jejomar C. Binay will retain his role as national president of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, after he was re-elected anew by the board members early this month.

The top post of Chief Scout is an honor traditionally given to the President of the Republic, in this case incoming president Aquino, who will take over from incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Under Republic Act 7272, the President of the Philippines automatically becomes the Chief Scout once he assumes office on June 30. Aquino will become the country’s 5th Chief Scout. His mother, President Corazon Aquino was the first Philippine chief executive to assume the role.

Binay, who is an active member of the group, first became the BSP national president from 1994-1996 and was re-elected for six consecutive years from 1999. Binay currently serves as chairman of the Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Committee of the World Organization of Scout Movement, the umbrella organization of all Scout organizations in the world. Early in the year, he took a leave of absence from the BSP to focus on his campaign for the vice presidency.