Malacañang is considering the declaration of June 30, 2010, the inauguration of President-elect Benigno Aquino III, as a non-working holiday.

Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza on Wednesday said he recommended to President Arroyo the holiday proclamation so the nation can “hear and see” the oath-taking of the country's new leader at the end of the month.

“I have made my recommendation to the President to declare a holiday. I have not received yet the approval. I think the Filipinos deserve to see the next President and hear him,” he said in a news conference in the Palace.

When President Arroyo took her oath in June 30, 2004, a special holiday was also declared in Cebu to witness the formal assumptionto office of the new government leader. Mrs. Arroyo took her oath in the province in gratitude for the one million votes she got in the province that propelled her to victory in the bitterly contested 2004 presidential elections.

Despite the imminent end of the nine-year term of President Arroyo, Mendoza admitted that the Palace is also excited to see the country’s 15th President take his oath on June 30. “Of course, all Filipinos are excited when we have a new President, new leader,” he said.

President Arroyo, for her part, is still focused on work even in the twilight of her nine-year tenure, according to Mendoza. “She is moving around everyday out of Malacañang, doing inaugurations and inspections and meetings. It’s still business as usual for the President,” he said.

The work mode also goes for the rest of the Cabinet in the remainder of the President’s term, according to Mendoza.

“I used to get calls from her as she said yesterday (Wednesday) 1 a.m. or 2 a.m. It’s still the same. All of us, we still work and work,” said Mendoza, who plans to leave government and lead an association of golfers.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Raoul Victorino, for his part, also plans to retire from government service on June 30 and will work as the dean of the College of Law of the Philippine Christian University.

“I am very happy indeed to have served my term as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel of the President. I’d like to express again my gratitude to the President for the trust and confidence,” he said.

Meantime, the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team on Wednesday accompanied its counterpart from the Aquino camp in an inspection of the inaugural venue of the President-elect.

Presidential Management Staff chief Elena Bautista-Horn said they went to Quirino Grandstand, which is now undergoing renovation for the inauguration rites, and later to Quezon Memorial Circle, where the people's celebration will be held.

Bautista-Horn, member of the transition team, said the Aquino transition camp also dropped by at the Palace for an inspection of the venues where cabinet meeting and the inaugural reception will be held. The two transition teams are expected to finalize the inaugural arrangements this week.