A Nation Remembers: Filipinos Honor Cory Aquino
Bryan Balco
iamninoy-iamcory Movement

THE CORY MAGIC lives on.

CONTRARY TO THE PERCEPTION that Filipinos are easily forgetful, various celebrations and tributes throughout the country and across the globe were held to honor the memory and preserve the legacy of the late President Corazon C. Aquino on the occasion of her 77th birth anniversary last January 25, 2010. Cory, as she is fondly called, is best remembered for leading the historic 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution which liberated the Philippines from the chains of the Marcos dictatorship and restored democracy in the country. As such, even in her death, Filipinos continue to revere Cory as their most preeminent and esteemed icon of democracy.

Catholic Church acclaims ‘Saint of Democracy’

Due to her deep spiritual life and devotion, President Aquino, at the time of her death, was hailed by the internationally-prestigious TIME Magazine as the ‘Saint of Democracy.’ TIME credited Aquino’s religious faith as the source of her moral ascendancy and stature as one of the world’s greatest democracy crusaders alongside Gandhi, King and Mandela. In fact, it was President Cory’s immense faith in the Divine Providence that enabled her to topple the Marcos regime, restore democracy and defeat the various coup attempts staged against her by military rebels during her presidency. As such, in recognition of her profound love for Jesus Christ and strong devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Catholic Church ordered all its parishes throughout the country to ring and clang their bells at exactly 12 o’clock in the afternoon last January 25 to honor Cory, who was described by Pope Benedict XVI as a “faithful daughter of the Church.” After the ringing of the bells in the parishes, several Eucharistic celebrations were held to commemorate the 77th birth anniversary of the late Icon of Philippine Democracy.

Sainthood for Cory

Meanwhile, calls for the inclusion of the late President Aquino in the roster of Catholic saints have been renewed and reinvigorated. Her former spiritual adviser Fr. Catalino G. Arevalo, SJ, in his homily during the Holy Mass held in her honor last January 24, 2010, the eve of her birthday, at the Shrine of Our Lady of EDSA, strongly pushed for the idea of having Aquino declared as a saint of the Catholic Church. He likewise exhorted the Filipino Catholic faithful to start praying to the late democracy icon as the first step to her possible canonization process. It must be noted that the Vatican requires two miracles be performed by the candidate for canonization before he or she can be formally recognized and officially declared a saint of the Catholic Church. The first miracle is for beatification and the second for canonization.

Outpouring of Love and Affection for ‘Tita Cory’

Aside from the Holy Masses held for the late Philippine president, various photo galleries and exhibits were held in popular shopping centres such as SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City and Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City. These exhibits mainly chronicled and highlighted the transformation of Cory Aquino from the grieving wife of an assassinated opposition leader to the avenging Joan of Arc of Philippine politics. The photo galleries also gave many people, particularly the young people, to rediscover and get to know more the woman who brought back the country’s freedom almost 25 years ago.

Moreover, leading philanthropist and businessman Don Fernando Zobel de Ayala formally unveiled Swatch’s limited edition of Cory Aquino watches, which he personally designed, last January 24, 2010 at the Ayala Museum in Makati City. He also launched a coffee table book on the life of President Cory, which describes and recounts his first and subsequent encounters and meetings with her.

iamninoy leads young people in celebrating Cory

To cap all these celebrations honoring the much-beloved Philippine president, the iamninoy-iamcoryyouth movement held a colourful tribute event inside the Church of the Gesu at the Ateneo de Manila University, entitled “Remembering Cory: Rekindling Her Spirit of Sacrifice.” The event, which was attended by the Aquino Family together with their friends and relatives; benefactors and partners of the Aquino Foundation; priests and nuns from several religious orders and congregations; and iamninoy-iamcory youth volunteers and students from various schools such as the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, San Beda College, Xavier School, Adamson University and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, consisted of a Holy Mass followed by a musical concert, highlighted the sacrifices made by Cory Aquino for the country.

During the Mass, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas, a close friend of the late president, praised Cory’s virtues and values both as a person and as a public figure who exemplified simplicity, honesty and humility.

Meanwhile, at the concert that followed, the Philippine Stagers Foundation, which was acclaimed for its play Ako Si Ninoy, conducted a moving and touching musical numbers about the life of Cory Aquino from her childhood up to her rise to power in 1986 until her peaceful and happy death in 2009.

The program ended with a moving and dramatic community singing of the 1986 EDSA Revolution Anthem, Bayan Ko, which reminded the congregation gathered to keep the memory and legacy of the late President Corazon Aquino alive and burning.