Corazon Aquino the lady in yellow is remarkable was once a housewife and trust to become the first woman President of the Philippines in February 1986 thru peaceful people power revolution. She is famously known Tita Cory among us. Right after assuming office the first order of business is the task of regaining the freedom that was lost as consequences of martial law proclamation by the late President Ferdinand Marcos. Restoring civil liberties, economy recovery, and the people’s trust in the government was fast tracked in Aquino’s administration. Her administration survived several coup attempts instigated by the right-wing soldiers nevertheless she stand firm defending the newly 1987 constitution and democracy.
In her post presidency this president has never waver her call to respect the people’s voice when ever there is talk of amending the constitution to extend the term limits of the sitting president, senators, and congressmen. She has long argued that extending the term limits would lead to another authoritarian rule or Marcos era. In 1992 she openly supported the presidential campaign of former President Fidel Ramos. In 1998 she supported the campaign of former senator Alfredo Lim who lost the presidency to former President Joseph Estrada. Estrada’s weak governance marred by incompetency, favoritism, corruptions, mismanagement, scandals, and false promises to the masses lead to his ouster to which former President Aquino openly join the call in the second wave of people power revolution and installed Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to the presidency. In 2004 presidential election she did not endorsed any candidates but a year later after President Arroyo was elected, she openly calls for Arroyo’s resignation for allegedly defrauding the election. Aquino remains vigilant in thwarting attempts by Arroyo’s administration and allies on the Senate and House of Representatives. In 2007 she actively campaigned for her son’s Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III successful senate seat. Kris Aquino her younger daughter revealed that the former president’s security escorts provided by the government was recalled in Cory’s dying moments and was reduced and made to justify the need for security since asking President Arroyo to resign. When does it become that a former president is made to justify for a security escorts? Is it not provided on the law that former presidents are entitled security escorts? Tita Cory does not ask for tens of security, those security arrangements are what is due for her as a former president.
I was teary eyed and sad to learn on the news that this beloved president of a grateful nation who suffered from a colon cancer and eventually died on August 1, 2009 due to cardio respiratory arrest. This beloved president was unknown to me 26 years ago until the news spread that her husband Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was assassinated upon returning home in exile. He was a youngest elected mayor who quickly rose to become a governor and senator. Ninoy Aquino whose prominence of being articulate, charismatic, energetic, brave, and sincere politician earned him the distinction of being the boy wonder of Philippine politics, considered by many. There was a news blackout all television and radio station except the Radio Veritas which run by Catholic Church are controlled by the government of former President Marcos. But despite of the fact of it’s one-sided bias news coverage in favor of the government of former President Marcos some newsprints and home video manage to cover the fateful event. From there on I actively join the peaceful walk for the assassinated Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino seeking justice and proudly wear the yellow T-shirt that prints his face and at the back reads as “Who Killed My Hero”. Soon found myself doing volunteered works as silent courier delivering literature material house to house campaigning for her endorsed candidates to the defunct Batansang Pambansa (National Assembly) with the help of my cousin Darwin Tolentino that we both ride on my self-assembled BMX pedaled bike. My first rally that I joined and could never forget was on the Luneta Grandstand a year after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. There was a multitude of yellow wearing clothes people in millions that I have never seen before, there is the never end chants of Cory is heard out aloud. Soon the yellow becomes a rallying point for Cory Aquino.
History contends that the former President Marcos downfall is a consequence of Ninoy’s martyrdom. I partly believed that former President Marcos had no hand in the murder of Ninoy Aquino but he was involved in a cover-up. The mastermind of the murder of Ninoy Aquino has never been put in justice. The acquittals of the late General Fabian Ver, Marcos most trusted generals and other higher ranking officials that are implicated in the conspiracy were widely seen as miscarriage of justice in Marcos controlled government bodies. There is also widely speculations Marcos due to this deteriorating health will turn over power to Ninoy Aquino to unite the country but close aides and cronies of the late former President Marcos opposed the idea. Marcos administration rely heavily on foreign aids to get it’s administration float mostly provided U.S. aids as a result of his close personal ally with the late U.S. former President Ronald Reagan. With a growing discontent domestically and pressure from the foreign allies such as the U.S. he called a snap election. Cory Aquino was trusted to be the forefront of united opposition reluctantly accepted this highest honor but acceded to the mounting pressure from the public support and humbly taken the lead to become the presidential candidate. She choose to accept Salvador Laurel her Vice President candidate to unite the opposition despite that fact that Laurel was keen on eyeing the presidency alone. The 1986 presidential snap election was what the nation was hope for a change but fell short when all election results was manipulated and controlled by Marcos to declare he is the winner and has the mandate of the people. This capitalized the outrage of the Filipino people as a result of vote rigging done by Marcos. His Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile could have a fallen out with him as a warrant of arrest for graft and corruption is about to be served that leads Enrile to defect along with former President Fidel Ramos who was the then a general and chief of the defunct Philippine Constabulary the national police force which is now known as the Philippine National Police. Soon there gathered multitude of people in millions that line up the along the stretch of EDSA. In Enrile’s press conference if I correctly remember he told that the Marcos has rigged the election and other person had won the election. Thus it was Cory Aquino who had really won the election and for the first time in the world history the military is protected by the people. Marcos was exiled to Guam USA and Cory Aquino becomes the president. The EDSA event was closely followed throughout the world and may have inspired other countries like the Berlin wall and Boris Yeltsin of Russia crushing the communist hardliners.
Her legacy puts her in international arena as an acclaim of icon of democracy. She was selected as Times magazine’s
Woman of the Year in 1986. In September 1986 President Aquino delivered a speech before the joint session of the United States Congress in her foreign trip which was interrupted by several applause and standing ovation. In the televised speech to U.S. Congress which was broadcast back home to the Philippines I never forgot the ending sentence were “Join us Americans as we build our new home for democracy”. The U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neil and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole at that time were all praises for her. At the near end of Cory Aquino’s presidency she was urged to run again by her allies though the 1987 constitution does not prevent her she humbly turned down the idea and wants to return to private life. She is happily turned over the presidency to her successor.
Tita Cory was laid to rest beside her husband Ninoy Aquino’s grave, both of relatively modest grave, no grander than other wealthly and famous people. At the end of cortege, she was given a full military honors, a two-star general acting as host and 8 one-star as pallbearers carried her flag-draped coffin. This remarkable president of the people does not wear jewelries in her lifetime, known to her family as simple mother despite raising from a wealthy known family. When Tita Cory learned of her colon cancer she refused treatments abroad instead preferred local physicians to treat her, a testament to trusting her countrymen. Her family turned down the offer of President Arroyo’s administrations for a state funeral and they turns out right the honor will come from the people and not from the Arroyo administration. There was a long line of queue of people in all walks of life, paying their final respect for the former President Aquino. Her cortege from Manila Cathedral to the Manila Memorial Park her resting place lasted for about 8 hours with hundreds of thousand mourners line up the street to where her burial convoy pass by. The route mostly covered with yellow where people expressed their last act of gratitude for the democracy she left behind, that all of us can live without fear of reprisal from government.
Farewell my President Tita Cory and I salute you whose absolute sincerity will be forever your legacy and will never be forgotten. Thank you my President Tita Cory and this nation is most truly grateful to have you. Ninoy has sacrificed his life for the love of this country and you sacrificed more to protect it. God has more calling for you in heaven and may you find eternal happiness with Ninoy in heaven.
In her post presidency this president has never waver her call to respect the people’s voice when ever there is talk of amending the constitution to extend the term limits of the sitting president, senators, and congressmen. She has long argued that extending the term limits would lead to another authoritarian rule or Marcos era. In 1992 she openly supported the presidential campaign of former President Fidel Ramos. In 1998 she supported the campaign of former senator Alfredo Lim who lost the presidency to former President Joseph Estrada. Estrada’s weak governance marred by incompetency, favoritism, corruptions, mismanagement, scandals, and false promises to the masses lead to his ouster to which former President Aquino openly join the call in the second wave of people power revolution and installed Vice-President Gloria Arroyo to the presidency. In 2004 presidential election she did not endorsed any candidates but a year later after President Arroyo was elected, she openly calls for Arroyo’s resignation for allegedly defrauding the election. Aquino remains vigilant in thwarting attempts by Arroyo’s administration and allies on the Senate and House of Representatives. In 2007 she actively campaigned for her son’s Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III successful senate seat. Kris Aquino her younger daughter revealed that the former president’s security escorts provided by the government was recalled in Cory’s dying moments and was reduced and made to justify the need for security since asking President Arroyo to resign. When does it become that a former president is made to justify for a security escorts? Is it not provided on the law that former presidents are entitled security escorts? Tita Cory does not ask for tens of security, those security arrangements are what is due for her as a former president.
I was teary eyed and sad to learn on the news that this beloved president of a grateful nation who suffered from a colon cancer and eventually died on August 1, 2009 due to cardio respiratory arrest. This beloved president was unknown to me 26 years ago until the news spread that her husband Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was assassinated upon returning home in exile. He was a youngest elected mayor who quickly rose to become a governor and senator. Ninoy Aquino whose prominence of being articulate, charismatic, energetic, brave, and sincere politician earned him the distinction of being the boy wonder of Philippine politics, considered by many. There was a news blackout all television and radio station except the Radio Veritas which run by Catholic Church are controlled by the government of former President Marcos. But despite of the fact of it’s one-sided bias news coverage in favor of the government of former President Marcos some newsprints and home video manage to cover the fateful event. From there on I actively join the peaceful walk for the assassinated Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino seeking justice and proudly wear the yellow T-shirt that prints his face and at the back reads as “Who Killed My Hero”. Soon found myself doing volunteered works as silent courier delivering literature material house to house campaigning for her endorsed candidates to the defunct Batansang Pambansa (National Assembly) with the help of my cousin Darwin Tolentino that we both ride on my self-assembled BMX pedaled bike. My first rally that I joined and could never forget was on the Luneta Grandstand a year after the assassination of Ninoy Aquino. There was a multitude of yellow wearing clothes people in millions that I have never seen before, there is the never end chants of Cory is heard out aloud. Soon the yellow becomes a rallying point for Cory Aquino.
History contends that the former President Marcos downfall is a consequence of Ninoy’s martyrdom. I partly believed that former President Marcos had no hand in the murder of Ninoy Aquino but he was involved in a cover-up. The mastermind of the murder of Ninoy Aquino has never been put in justice. The acquittals of the late General Fabian Ver, Marcos most trusted generals and other higher ranking officials that are implicated in the conspiracy were widely seen as miscarriage of justice in Marcos controlled government bodies. There is also widely speculations Marcos due to this deteriorating health will turn over power to Ninoy Aquino to unite the country but close aides and cronies of the late former President Marcos opposed the idea. Marcos administration rely heavily on foreign aids to get it’s administration float mostly provided U.S. aids as a result of his close personal ally with the late U.S. former President Ronald Reagan. With a growing discontent domestically and pressure from the foreign allies such as the U.S. he called a snap election. Cory Aquino was trusted to be the forefront of united opposition reluctantly accepted this highest honor but acceded to the mounting pressure from the public support and humbly taken the lead to become the presidential candidate. She choose to accept Salvador Laurel her Vice President candidate to unite the opposition despite that fact that Laurel was keen on eyeing the presidency alone. The 1986 presidential snap election was what the nation was hope for a change but fell short when all election results was manipulated and controlled by Marcos to declare he is the winner and has the mandate of the people. This capitalized the outrage of the Filipino people as a result of vote rigging done by Marcos. His Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile could have a fallen out with him as a warrant of arrest for graft and corruption is about to be served that leads Enrile to defect along with former President Fidel Ramos who was the then a general and chief of the defunct Philippine Constabulary the national police force which is now known as the Philippine National Police. Soon there gathered multitude of people in millions that line up the along the stretch of EDSA. In Enrile’s press conference if I correctly remember he told that the Marcos has rigged the election and other person had won the election. Thus it was Cory Aquino who had really won the election and for the first time in the world history the military is protected by the people. Marcos was exiled to Guam USA and Cory Aquino becomes the president. The EDSA event was closely followed throughout the world and may have inspired other countries like the Berlin wall and Boris Yeltsin of Russia crushing the communist hardliners.
Her legacy puts her in international arena as an acclaim of icon of democracy. She was selected as Times magazine’s
Woman of the Year in 1986. In September 1986 President Aquino delivered a speech before the joint session of the United States Congress in her foreign trip which was interrupted by several applause and standing ovation. In the televised speech to U.S. Congress which was broadcast back home to the Philippines I never forgot the ending sentence were “Join us Americans as we build our new home for democracy”. The U.S. House Speaker Tip O’Neil and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole at that time were all praises for her. At the near end of Cory Aquino’s presidency she was urged to run again by her allies though the 1987 constitution does not prevent her she humbly turned down the idea and wants to return to private life. She is happily turned over the presidency to her successor. Tita Cory was laid to rest beside her husband Ninoy Aquino’s grave, both of relatively modest grave, no grander than other wealthly and famous people. At the end of cortege, she was given a full military honors, a two-star general acting as host and 8 one-star as pallbearers carried her flag-draped coffin. This remarkable president of the people does not wear jewelries in her lifetime, known to her family as simple mother despite raising from a wealthy known family. When Tita Cory learned of her colon cancer she refused treatments abroad instead preferred local physicians to treat her, a testament to trusting her countrymen. Her family turned down the offer of President Arroyo’s administrations for a state funeral and they turns out right the honor will come from the people and not from the Arroyo administration. There was a long line of queue of people in all walks of life, paying their final respect for the former President Aquino. Her cortege from Manila Cathedral to the Manila Memorial Park her resting place lasted for about 8 hours with hundreds of thousand mourners line up the street to where her burial convoy pass by. The route mostly covered with yellow where people expressed their last act of gratitude for the democracy she left behind, that all of us can live without fear of reprisal from government.
There are leader that command obedience but not respect. Tita Cory has not just govern she leads, and is the only truly a leader that commands both repect and love. Even in death she still continues to lead.
Farewell my President Tita Cory and I salute you whose absolute sincerity will be forever your legacy and will never be forgotten. Thank you my President Tita Cory and this nation is most truly grateful to have you. Ninoy has sacrificed his life for the love of this country and you sacrificed more to protect it. God has more calling for you in heaven and may you find eternal happiness with Ninoy in heaven.
