Aquino, sisters to mark Cory’s third death anniversary

THE FACE THAT CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY The transformation of Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino from “plain housewife” newly arrived from Boston (photo at right) started on Aug. 21, 1983, the assassination of her husband Ninoy Aquino, the political nemesis of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The contagion of Ninoy’s courage spread throughout the nation. And “Tita Cory” speaking at rally after indignation rally, this one (above) on Ninoy’s birthday on Nov. 30, led to a clamor for her to run against Marcos in a “snap election.” The rest is her history as an icon of democracy and of nonviolent revolution. President Aquino and his siblings will observe her 3rd death anniversary Wednesday in private starting with Mass at Manila Memorial Park at 10 a.m. At 5 p.m., the Aquino family is scheduled to unveil a mini exhibit at the Edsa Shrine. Photo illustration by Lynett Villariba

“We will never forget.”

President Benigno Aquino and his sisters will mark Wednesday the third death anniversary of their mother, former President Corazon Aquino, by leading the unveiling of a bust of the people power icon at the Edsa shrine.

In a statement, the office of presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda praised Cory Aquino for being the nation’s “moral compass.”

She died on Aug. 1, 2009, after a battle with colon cancer.

“Corazon C. Aquino, whom most of our countrymen called ‘Tita Cory,’ was a gift bestowed upon a grateful nation who we will never forget,” said the statement posted on the Official Gazette (https://www.gov.ph/).

“We join the Filipino people in remembering Mrs. Aquino, who proved the Filipino is indeed worth living for. As wife, mother and President, she exemplified the virtues of faith, perseverance and integrity. As a widow dressed in yellow, her soft-spoken and honest dedication to the struggle to win back our democracy by peaceful means earned her the respect of an empowered nation and the international community.”

The statement cited her contributions to the restoration of democracy in the country following the fall of Ferdinand Marcos’ dictatorship in 1986.

It said: “She was, in so many ways, the nation’s moral compass—a constant presence that personified not only the greatness Filipinos could achieve but also the people’s staunch determination to defend and nurture our democratic institutions and the principles she and millions of Filipinos helped restore and rebuild.”

5 p.m. Mass at Edsa shrine

“The President and his siblings would like to commemorate the death anniversary of their mom in private,” Lacierda said in a text message.

A media advisory said the President and his sisters would be at the gravesite of their mother at 10 a.m. Wednesday  at Manila Memorial Park.

They will also unveil their mother’s bust and open a mini photo exhibit at Our Lady of Edsa Shrine in Mandaluyong City after the 5 p.m. Mass which is open to the public.

The Mass will be officiated by Most Rev. Gabriel Reyes, bishop of the diocese of Antipolo City, assisted by Rev. Fr. Leo Nilo Mangussad.