MANILA, Philippines—President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday likened the heroism of his mother, former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino to that of revolutionary leader Gabriela Silang.
At a Women’s Month celebration at SM Mall of Asia Arena, Aquino said: “Para po siyang si Gabriela Silang, na humalili sa kanyang asawa na si Diego Silang nang mamatay ito, at malao’y pinamunuan ang himagsikan laban sa mananakop (She is like Gabriela Silang, who replaced her husband Diego Silang when he died, and eventually led the revolt against the colonizers).”
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Aquino gave the comparison during the celebration hosted by Coca-Cola Philippines and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda). In attendance were around 5,000 beneficiaries of the Sari-Sari Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) program, which provides resources and skills training to owners of small businesses.
The President said it was his father, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., who said, “the first freedom is the freedom from hunger.” Meanwhile it was his mother, who became an opposition leader after Ninoy’s death, who wanted to give more opportunity to women.
“Under the administration of my mother, she pushed for ‘affirmative action’ for women, may it be in governance, the police force or the Armed Forces,” Aquino said.
“As a woman and leader of the country, my mother knew that Filipino women have a lot to contribute in the shaping of our nation’s future.”
Cory Aquino became president in 1986 after the fall of the Marcos dictatorship and almost three years after Ninoy was assassinated at the tarmac of the then Manila International Airport.
National Women’s Month is celebrated during March, which is also the birth month of Gabriela Silang.
Silang is said to be the first Filipino woman to lead an uprising against a foreign nation. She led the revolt in Ilocos against Spanish forces after her husband was assassinated. Later, she too was executed by public hanging. RC
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