Inauguration speech of President Corazon Aquino

Inaugural Address of Her Excellency Corazon C. Aquino
President of the Philippines
Club Filipino, San Juan | February 25, 1986

My brothers and sisters:

I am grateful for the authority you have given me today. And I promise to offer all that I can do to serve you.

It is fitting and proper that, as our people lost their rights and liberties at midnight fourteen years ago, the people should formally recover those lost rights and liberties in the full light of day.

Ninoy believed that only the united strength of the Filipino people would suffice to overturn a tyranny so evil and so well-organized. The brutal murder of Ninoy created that unity in strength that has come to be known as “Lakas ng Bayan”–people power.

People power shattered the dictatorship, protected those in the military that chose freedom, and today, has established a government dedicated to this protection and meaningful fulfillment of our rights and liberties.

We became exiles, we Filipinos who are at home only in freedom, when Marcos destroyed the Republic fourteen years ago.

Now, by God’s grace and the power of the people, we are free again.

We want to make a special appeal to those who have not yet joined us. Do not engage in any further action against the people and instead, be among those who will lend a hand to rebuild the country.

(Source: Gov.ph)