Salamat pnoy A tribute to benigno S. Aquino iii 8 february 1960–24 June 2021 15th President of the rePublic of the PhiliPPines 2010–2016 volume 1a Photo mAlAcAñAng photo bureAu/gil nArteA b Salamat pnoy A tribute to benigno Simeon Aquino iii 8 february 1960–24 June 2021 15th President of the rePublic of the PhiliPPines 2010–2016 volumei 1 Salamat PNoy A Tribute to Benigno Simeon Aquino III This book is a project of the Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform (aware) Paulynn Sicam, Editor Michael Ali Figueroa, Book Designer editorial board Cheche Lazaro, aware Narzalina Z. Lim, aware Phyllis Zaballero, aware Rapa Lopa, Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation Yna Sorongon, Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation Ebook concept and design, Philippine copyright © 2021 by the Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform. All rights reserved. The copyright of individual articles, photos, and works of art in this book belong to their creators and publishers. Every effort has been made to reprint these with permission, to ensure that they are in the public domain, or fall under fair use. Please do not reproduce any part of this ebook without permission from the original creators. v1.01 • 1 september 2021 • 10am cover Portrait of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III (2015) by Orley Ypon oil on canvas, 103.2 x 78.1 cm National Museum of the Philippines collection ii volume 1 contents foreword v introduction viii 1 tributes, accolades, and tears 1 2 honoring god’s servant 75 3 his cabinet remembers 121 4 in Praise of excellence 187 acknowledgments 75 iii Photo pcoo iv foreword he presidency of Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Tis actually the stuff of legend, but the public was not fully aware of it. So much was accomplished in the delivery of social services, education, health, infrastructure, the economy, peace, culture and the arts, and other aspects of governance, that the public was generally unaware of, because the principal, PNoy himself, was not one to crow about his accomplishments. It was only when PNoy passed away that the true value of his six years as President emerged, told by people who sought to set the record straight. This eBook gathers the testimonies of thought leaders—heads of state, government officials, clerics, businessmen, educators, journalists, and ordinary Filipinos, hailing the accomplishments of the PNoy administration, and how these impacted on the lives of the most vulnerable Filipinos. v Politics has taught the Aquino family some very painful lessons. From Ninoy, Cory, and now Noy, the phrase “Panapanahon lang” was invariably applied. After they vacated the position of power—with their missions accomplished— much of the support that went with it quickly dissipated, and was now attached to the new dispensation. Difficult as it is, public service is truly a thankless job. But all is not lost. Hope lives in those who know the truth and bravely speak out. This eBook, a record of the outpouring of grief and a recollection of the greatness of PNoy’s legacy by people whose lives he touched, is a fitting gift to the Aquino family. It is also a gift to our people, especially the future generations of Filipinos who must learn the lessons from history so they can correctly determine the course of our nation’s progress and development. The Aquino family and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, Inc. are indebted to the women of Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform (AWARE) for putting this eBook of tributes and memories together to ensure that the legacy of PNoy’s presidency is documented and preserved for posterity online. There is much to learn from PNoy’s years in office, when, following in the footsteps of his parents, he vi showed how good, steady, honest governance and an unblinking vision of the future, brought the country and our people the development and prosperity we deserve. Thank you, AWARE, for making available this Treasure of Truth-telling that, we hope, will inspire its readers, especially young Filipinos, to give of themselves to our country and our people. Rafael C. Lopa President, NCAF Photo pcoo vii introduction (Alliance of Women for Action Towards Reform) AWARE was founded in September 1983, an offshoot of Senator Ninoy Aquino’s assassination and the resulting general public revulsion against what they perceived to be the Marcos government’s cowardly role in it. The women—Tingting Cojuangco, Ching Escaler, Narz Lim, Guila Maramba, Winnie Monsod, and Triccie Sison—met each other during an anti-Marcos assembly at the Colegio de San Agustin gymnasium. They were reluctant to be identified as political partisans, so they decided to strike out on their own. That’s how AWARE was born. viii Recruitment of new members followed in the next few weeks until a historic meeting was held at the Cojuangco Building in Makati to agree on a basic set of principles in our bid to overturn the dictatorship. To achieve this, the members pledged to use peaceful, non-violent means, which included joining forces with other like- minded groups to form a mass movement with civil disobedience as a core principle. The group immediately got involved in the dozens of anti-Marcos demonstrations that took place, including the planning, organizing, and provision of logistics for the first march in Ayala Avenue towards Ugarte Field, where Ninoy Aquino’s widow, Cory, spoke for the first time to a big crowd since her husband’s burial. What was significant about this event was that it was attended by people from the business community; professionals, and workers from corporations in and around the financial district. It was the beginning of the awakening of what was then called “the middle forces.” AWARE gained public recognition when they organized the highly successful Women’s March in 1984 and held prayer rallies in front of the houses of the members of the Agrava Commission which was tasked to investigate the assassination of Ninoy Aquino, their objective being to stiffen the spines of the Commission members and, ix at the same time, show them that they were appreciated—and that they were being watched. There is a memorable photo of AWARE members in Nick Joaquin’s book The Quartet of the Tiger Moon taken at a rally in the Espana Rotunda, with arms linked, just having been tear gassed and stoned but holding fast in front of tanks and firearms. That rally only broke up when the bullets came whizzing by, injuring young Fidel Nemenzo, now Chancellor of the University of the Philippines. That photo speaks volumes of these women who were not daunted by tyrants and dictators. x When snap elections were called by Ferdinand Marcos in 1985, AWARE played a crucial role in Cory Aquino’s election to the Presidency, having organized “Cory’s Crusaders” to campaign for her all over the country. In 2010, AWARE again campaigned for her son, Benigno Simeon Aquino III, fondly called PNoy, in his bid for the Presidency. It is to honor PNoy’s memory and his accomplishments as President, that AWARE has decided to publish this e-book of tributes and memories culled from the internet and local and foreign publications generated by his passing. AWARE has had many contributions to the public discourse on key issues affecting the polity and the economy by way of uplifting products of critical thinking. No branch of government has been spared from its scrutiny and its clamor for reform. Its membership includes women who have served various Presidents in Cabinet and sub-Cabinet positions; an ambassador; a famous artist; a media icon; a college president; a corporate president; a head of an international organization and leaders of non-government organizations. Last and most importantly, in line with AWARE’s de facto motto—When the going gets tough, AWARE gets going—these are the go-to women, the doers who can perform and deliver on any task that needs doing in the pursuit of reforms towards good governance. xi AWARE Members 1983–2021 Mel Alonzo Mila Blanquera Cecile Cacho Dede Caniza (+) Tingting Cojuangco Marie del Rosario Ching Escaler Marivic Estrella (+) Tess Fajardo Patsy Francisco xii Vicky Garchitorena Aurora Go Jo Guevara Cheche Lazaro Carla Lim Narz Lim Cleofe Llamas Maridol Mabanta Guila Maramba Winnie Monsod Mely Nicolas Betty Nelle Addie Olboc (+) Noemi Olivares Maribel Ongpin Carla Pacis Josie Palad Baby Paterno (+) Susie Quiros Siony Santos (+) Yet Severino (+) Pilar Singian Triccie Sison Zeny Tanada Mariel Tolentino Pinky Valdes Joji Velarde (+) Nena Villanueva (+) Phyllis Zaballero xiii Photos PP 14-17 Ateneo de mAnilA univerSity/AAronxiv vicencio xv xvi xvii xviii xix Photos PP 18-19 gov.ph And pcoo “Recalling the late president’s service to the nation, I commend his soul into the hands of the all-merciful God.” pope frAnciS Photo officiAl gAzette xx 1 tributes, accolades, and tears Photo officiAl gAzette salamat pnoy 1 tributes Photo twitter/leni robredo He tried to do what was right, even when it was not popular. Tahimik at walang pagod siyang nagtrabaho para makatulong sa marami. vice preSident leni robredo, june 24, 2021 salamat pnoy 2 tributes Hindi ka namin bibiguin Vice President Leni Robredo Misa ng Taumbayan Para kay PNoy, Agosto 1, 2021 akikiisa ako sa lahat ng kasama natin Nngayong araw sa Misa ng Taumbayan para kay PNoy. Kasabay nito, inaalala rin natin ang anibersaryo ng pagpanaw ni dating pangulong Cory Aquino. Napakasuwerte natin bilang sambayanan na magkaroon ng dalawang Pilipinong buong-pusong ibinigay ang sarili sa kanilang pamumuno. Ngayong araw, ginugunita natin ang mga buhay nila, at kinikilala ang lahat ng kanilang ginawa para sa atin. Una kong nakilala si PNoy dahil kay Jesse.