iamninoy

Remembering Ninoy Aquino whose death at the airport tarmac 26 years ago today changed the course of Philippine history.

yellow fever

It's Cory Aquino all over the television stations. And I don't mind. Nobody minds at all. I am discovering more and more what an incredibly extraordinary yet simple woman she was. She is my idol now!

During the necrological service tonight at the Manila Cathedral, several people gave eulogies. As eulogies go, only good things are said about the dear departed. But these eulogies were quite moving because, instead of the usual political beatifications, most of them were very personal accounts of the exceptional kindness, integrity and character of our past president, as related by close family and friends.

Particularly touching was the simple and heartfelt thank you of Insp Mel Mamaril, the former president's close-in security for the last 23 years, who remembers Cory as the boss who personally prepared a bowl of noodles for him when they arrived at their Time's Street home after a trip and the house cook was not yet around.

He said he was brought closer to God not only by Ma'am Cory's life of faith and prayer but also by her life of genuine concern for other people, "whether they are big or small."

Even when she was in pain, she would always ask if we, her security detail, had eaten already. "Nahihirapan na nga siya, naiisip pa niya kami." Youngest daughter, Kris, was crying unabashedly all throughout Mamaril's eulogy and the congregation applauded as he saluted his former boss' casket on his way down from the lectern.

What brought smiles and laughter amidst all the crying was the eulogy given by Maur Aquino-Lichauco, Ninoy's sister, who called Cory her BFF (best friends forever) and even as her voice cracked, managed to crack a joke by saying "I am looking forward to seeing you again someday... but hopefully not too soon."

Among the others who gave their eulogies were: Teddy Locsin, Mayor Feliciano Belmonte, Jr., Dr. Alex Ayco, Mrs. Gina de Venecia and Condrado de Quiros.

The live coverage of the wake is still ongoing, with frequent replays of the eulogies as well as real time images of the thousands of people who have lined up to pay their last respects to the former president in spite of the heavy rains.

yellow rain

Yellow confetti and ribbons rained down from buildings along EDSA and the streets of Makati, as thousands of people came to view the funeral convoy of President Corazon Aquino as her remains were brought from La Salle Greenhills to the Manila Cathedral in Intramuros, where hundreds lined up to pay their last respects to our beloved former leader.

Meanwhile, story after story keep pouring in, for us to read and remember what an extraordinary person in extraordinary circumstances Cory Aquino was.

Here are some of those stories:

120,000 show up for Cory

She was a gutsy lady

Coup leaders admire Cory's bravery

Satur: NDF has a lot to thank Cory for

What we lost

August 5 burial day declared special holiday

In lieu of flowers

remembering EDSA I

HANDOG NG PILIPINO SA MUNDO

'Di na 'ko papayag mawala ka muli.
'Di na 'ko papayag na muli mabawi,
Ating kalayaan kay tagal natin mithi.
'Di na papayagang mabawi muli.

Magkakapit-bisig libo-libong tao.
Kay sarap palang maging Pilipino.
Sama-sama iisa ang adhikain.
Kelan man 'di na paalipin.

Ref:
Handog ng Pilipino sa mundo,
Mapayapang paraang pagbabago.
Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan
Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas.
Basta't magkaisa tayong lahat.

Masdan ang nagaganap sa aming bayan.
Nagkasama ng mahirap at mayaman.
Kapit-bisig madre, pari, at sundalo.
Naging Langit itong bahagi ng mundo.

Huwag muling payagang umiral ang dilim.
Tinig ng bawat tao'y bigyan ng pansin.
Magkakapatid lahat sa Panginoon.
Ito'y lagi nating tatandaan.
(repeat refrain two times)

Coda:
Mapayapang paraang pagbabago.
Katotohanan, kalayaan, katarungan.
Ay kayang makamit na walang dahas.
Basta't magkaisa tayong lahat!

last Laban

Cory, in signature yellow,
flashes the L for Laban (Lakas ng Bayan) sign

I was a medical student, deeply immersed in Pathology and Pharmacology, and only vaguely aware of the political turmoil going on in my country, when Philippine history took a dramatic turn with the cold blooded assassination of opposition leader Sen. Ninoy Aquino in 1983 and the unexpected rise to the presidency of his widow, Corazon Aquino, in 1986.

At dawn today, well-loved President Cory Aquino succumbed to cancer. As the country mourns her demise, we wonder if we will ever have another president as honest and gracious as Cory, or a hero as charismatic and dynamic as Ninoy.

Cory, 76, dies - Inquirer

People Power's Philippine Saint - Time

No pomp for democracy icon - ABS-CBN

People power heroine - Reuters

Cory's life in photos - Time

guns and roses

IS it really possible to have a bloodless revolution, as demonstrated by EDSA I People's Power when military muscles and munitions came face to face with roses and rosaries?

This was, of course, after Ninoy's blood was spilled at the airport tarmac.

mga guni-guni sa Siaton Hiway

Pagnakakakita ako ng ganitong puno, naiisip ko agad ang panahon ng autumn sa ibang bansa, kung kailan nagbabago ang kulay ng mga dahon sa mga puno.

feeling autumn

Ngunit pag ito naman ang nakikita ko, mga overloaded na mga sasakyan, bigla akong natatauhan. Nasa Pilipinas pala ako.

overloaded ever

remembering the 1986 EDSA revolution

Where were you when that important milestone in our country's history happened?

Rizal in Dumaguete

We were supposed to walk/jog at the Perdices Coliseum at dawn today but failed to wake up early enough so that by the time I left the house, it was almost daybreak. I thought, why not go to the boulevard and watch the sunrise instead?

The Dumaguete boulevard used to be, and still is, a favorite venue for walking, jogging or just sitting around, because of the soothing seabreeze and refreshing wavesplash. It was a cloudy morning so we couldn't actually see the sun rise although it was obviously up because everything became washed with light. Without the lovely sunrise to take a picture of, I took a picture of this instead:




The inscription says:

The Rizal Boulevard was built in 1916 and extends 780 meters long. It was named after Jose Rizal who was said to while away a few hours on this stretch of beach before the boulevard was constructed. The Rizal Boulevard is considered the show window of the city of Dumaguete.

Hey, I didn't know Jose Rizal was ever in Dumaguete! Why didn't they teach us that in high school? Anyway, I will not fret anymore whether he was here or not more than a century ago because this coming Saturday, February 7, Rizal will indeed be here in Dumaguete! Albeit it is just in a play called Batang Rizal, I am so looking forward to this Saturday because I have been hankering for a Filipino play by Filipinos for some time now.

I don't know what the play is all about but Ian does so I copied this, and the ticket image as well, from his weblog.

Pepe and Pepito are both intelligent young boys, of almost the same height and might even be mistaken for each other physically. Of course, one of them is destined to be a national hero and one is… well, one is hiding the national hero’s statue in a storeroom. Pepito is a Grade 6 student of Rizal Elementary School and he accidentally broke the head of the statue of the young Rizal, given to the school by the City Mayor as a gift for the celebration of the Buwan ng Wika. He has a week to return the statue and when he mournfully goes to the storeroom to check on Rizal, he finds himself in Calamba, the hero’s home and surrounded by the Mercado sisters.

The Philippine Educational Theater Association’s BATANG RIZAL takes the audience from the present to the time when Jose Rizal was a boy and then back again with Pepe in tow as the two boys experience life in each other’s time zone in an adventure of a lifetime, discovering that patriotism and heroism can be found even in an ordinary child’s heart.

Written by Christine Bellen and directed by Dudz Teraña with music by Vincent A. de Jesus, BATANG RIZAL performs at the Claire Isabel McGill Luce Auditorium on 7 February 2009 with shows at 3 PM (matinee) and 8 PM (gala).

Tickets Available at P150 and P200 for Matinee; P200, P300, and P500 for Gala

ang Pilipinas

Bayan ko

words: Jose Corazon de Jesus
music: Constancio de Guzman
artist: Freddie Aguilar





Dakilang Lahi

words and music: Tito Sotto and Anthony Castelo
artist: Ciarra Sotto


Dakilang lahi
na sa 'yong tangi
pag-ibig ko inang bayan
isinumpa ko
o Pilipino gagaling ang sugat
ng iyong nakaraan
nang pahiran ko
luha ng 'yong puso
ay natayo muli
ang karangalan mo

o ang pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo
inang bayan
ikaw ang s'yang dalangin ko
sa Diyos kailan pa man
kuminang na
ang iyong bituin
at sumikat na'ng araw
ang kalayaan mo'y sinisigaw
ang bukas ay tanging sa 'yo
nakalaan kayumanggi ang kulay mo
dugo't pawis inalay mo
'di ka na maaapi
ngayon o kailanman
pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo inang bayan

dakilang bayan
kapayapaan
iyo'y muli nang nakamtan
tulad noong araw
bago inagaw
ang kayamanan mo
ang 'yong kalayaan
nang pahiran ko
luha ng 'yong puso
ay natayo muli
ang karangalan mo

o ang pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo
inang bayan
ikaw ang s'yang dalangin ko
sa Diyos kailan pa man
kuminang na ang iyong bituin
at sumikat na'ng araw
ang kalayaan mo'y sinisigaw
ang bukas ay tanging sa'yo nakalaan
kayumanggi ang kulay mo
dugo't pawis inalay mo
'di ka na maaapi
ngayon o kailanman
pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo inang bayan
kahit na gaano kaliit ang tinig ko
buong lakas akong magtatanggol sa 'yo

ang bukas ay tanging sa 'yo nakalaan
kayumanggi ang kulay mo
ang buhay ko'y alay sa 'yo
'di ka na maaapi ngayon o kailanman
pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo inang bayan
pag-ibig ko'y sa 'yo inang bayan