MANILA, Philippines—Former senator Teresa Aquino-Oreta has refuted claims by her nephew, Senator Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, that the country has not moved forward 25 years after the death of his father, Ninoy.

"No, I don't agree with that. I think the country has moved forward and the different administrations have done their part in improving the country," Oreta said when asked to react on the senator's remark.

And turning the tables on Noynoy, Oreta reminded him that his mother, Corazon Aquino, was at the helm from 1986 to 1992.

"His mommy led the country for six years. So please don’t tell us now that the country has not moved forward,” said Oreta, who was interviewed Monday at the installation of Ninoy's bronze statue at the Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport

Oreta said that the county continues to move forward, although not as fast as people wanted it to be.

In May 2007, Oreta ran for senator under the administration banner but lost. Her nephew, Noynoy, won.

She was supposed to run under the United Opposition ticket but was squeezed out of the merger of the opposition groups under the Genuine Opposition, which took Noynoy, a member of the Liberal Party-Drilon wing, as its candidate.

Oreta denied rumors she would be taking a post at either the Department of Education or the Commission on Higher Education, more than a year after the ban on appointment of losing candidates had lapsed.