President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III on Thursday disclosed that he is bound by tradition to ride in the same automobile with outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo en route to his inauguration on June 30, 2010 at the Quirino Grandstand in Rizal Park, Manila.

“I understand tradition dictates that is part of what has to be done. I understand I have no choice with regards to that matter,” Aquino said in an interview with newsmen at his Times Street residence in Quezon City.

“Obviously I will extend to her all the necessary courtesies to a woman, a former professor, somebody elder for the respect of the office,” Aquino added.

According to Aquino it should be considered that there is solemnity to the occasion.

“If we disregard the traditions one would not want to be accused of cheapening the entire process. We will try to observe as much as possible all that is required by practice and tradition,” Aquino stressed.

Aquino said that since he is yet to be the president before June 30, he has to respect whatever the current administration has to say with regards to the inauguration.

“Who holds the reins of power at this point? It is not us, we will hold it after noon of June 30. Who can set the wheels in motion turning if not Malacañang at this point in time? At the same time if we have not contradicted what they are saying it indicates an agreement with what they said and we feel they have been complying with what has been agreed upon. The transition team has just started meeting with them. We have to wait until the proclamation,” Aquino said.

Meanwhile, outgoing President Gloria Arroyo doesn't mind sharing a ride with her successor on the way to the Quirino Grandstand, the inaugural venue on June 30, according to a Palace official.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman Ricardo Saludo said the President’s looming short ride on a car with President-elect Benigno Aquino III is part of the traditional turnover rites. Any political differences between the two leaders will be “subsumed” by the democratic transition of power, according to Saludo.

Saludo, speaking to reporters in the Palace, emphasized that the smooth transition of power to the next leadership is the President's final act of governance and "she is delivering her promise."

“This is just a simple ride on a vehicle so there is no major problem," Saludo said, adding this detail of the transition process should not be “too much personalized.”

"This is about a transfer of power, about an outgoing administration transferring to a new one, about democratic institutions playing out, and democratic processes being fulfilled," he said.

President-elect Aquino has agreed to follow the tradition related to presidential inauguration, including sharing a ride with the outgoing leader on the way to the inaugural site.

Aquino, the country’s first bachelor President, said he would accord the proper courtesy due to President Arroyo, especially being an elder and a woman.

On inauguration day, Aquino is expected to fetch President Arroyo from the Palace and share a ride to the nearby Quirino Grandstand in Manila. The ride aboard the presidential car will likely take around 10 minutes. Mrs. Arroyo is expected to accompany her successor to the grandstand but is unlikely to stay for the rest of the oath-taking rites.

“Nag-agree na din pala si Pangulong Aquino na makasama sa isang sasakyan si Pangulong Arroyo so susunduin niya siya sa Malacañang (President Aquino has agreed to join President Arroyo in one car so he will fetch her in Malacañang),” Edwin Lacierda, spokesman of President-elect Aquino, said.

Asked if the President will set aside political differences when she meets Aquino on June 30, Saludo said: “They don’t matter in this democratic process or shall we say there are differences but the democratic processes are able to subsume them and then let the whole thing still happen.”

“Remember there are also differences that had been very much expounded upon by the new administration, they also have their differences. But they’re subsuming those to the higher goal of having a proper democratic transition. That's just part of having a mature country,” he said.