After accompanying President-elect Benigno Simeon Aquino III to the Quirino Grandstand and bidding goodbye to her successor on June 30, outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will go straight to San Fernando, Pampanga, to take her oath as congresswoman of Pampanga’s second district, along with other local officials in Pampanga, a Malacañang official said on Saturday.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson and Presidential Management Staff (PMS) Director-General Elena Bautista-Horn said using her personal car, President Arroyo will leave the inaugural site for San Fernando, Pampanga, where she will participate in the oath-taking ceremony, along with her fellow local officials.

Horn said that the Chief Executive herself confirmed that she will visit Pampanga on the President-elect’s Day.

“Pagkatapos sa Granstand ay tutuloy siya sa San Fernando, Pampanga, para mag-take ng oath, kasama ang ibang officials ng Pampanga,” she told government-run DZRB. (“After the Quirino Granstand, she will go to San Fernando, Pampanga to take her oath, along with other officials in Pampanga.”)

Horn also assured that the Arroyo transition team is exhausting all means to ensure a seamless turnover of leadership on June 30. She belied reports that Aquino’s camp has asked that the presidential car would be driven by Aquino’s own driver to ensure his safety.

She said the Aquino transition team has not brought it up in the meeting, even as she reminded it. Arroyo is still the President hours before the noon of June 30.

The PMS chief said it is up to the Presidential Security Group (PSG) of both outgoing and incoming leaders to discuss security details.

“Sa lahat ng pagpupulong, wala po tayong intensyon na masama at gusto natin na maayos na maayos ang lahat,” she said. (“In all our meetings, we don’t have any bad intention, and we want that everything will be all right.”)

Aquino will fetch Arroyo from the Palace at around 10 a.m. on June 30. They will board the presidential car, mostly likely the black Mercedes Benz with plate number 1, to the Quirino Grandstand.

President Arroyo will sit on the right passenger side, called the “seat of honor” while Aquino will sit on the left side. A driver and a security aide will join the two leaders in the short ride to the Quirino Grandstand.

Upon arrival at the Quirino Grandstand, President Arroyo will be given arrival honors by the military.

The two leaders will then shake hands, signaling the formal transfer of leadership to the next administration. Then, the outgoing President will bid farewell to Aquino and will no longer stay for the rest of the oath-taking rites.