Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino (January 25, 1933 - August 1, 2009)
Filipinos have made "Cory" Aquino's funeral a great public event.
Since the events in Eastern Europe in 1989, we have become used to the idea of mass demonstrations leading to the peaceful (or near-peaceful) outbreak of democracy. That "democratic revolution" does not have to be a sad oxymoron. But, after the assassination of her husband Sen. "Ninoy" Aquino on August 21 1983 on the stairs of the plane in which he was returning from exile, his widow, "Cory" Aquino, became the centre of a great popular rejection of the Marcos dictatorship, the original People Power Revolution of 1986.
I remember the shock of the Aquino assassination--it took place literally in the media spotlight. I also remember the excitement of the Aquino candidacy, the mass protests, with Church support, and the sudden surge of defections leading to the fall of the Marcos regime and President Cory Aquino's inauguration.
The People Power Revolution hardly solved all of the Philippines' problems--no revolution does. But it was a hopeful and inspiring event and, in retrospect, a model for other places.
At the centre was was this small, dignified widow who gave every impression of taking on a dangerous task for the simple reason that she could what probably no one else could and that it needed to be done. It was also a vindication and homage to her murdered husband. But she did it because it was the right thing to do. That she had always been a member of a rich and privileged elite meant little, as the murder of her equally elite husband testified. What mattered was that she put herself where the hopes of so many Filipinos lay and so could be both a focus and an inspiration. During her Presidency, she had to deal with both would be military coupists and the ongoing communist and muslim insurgencies. But she continued to stand firmly and courageously for democratic government.
It apparently took nine hours for the funeral procession to pass through the streets of Manila, the mass of people was so great. She remains their heroine.
Since the events in Eastern Europe in 1989, we have become used to the idea of mass demonstrations leading to the peaceful (or near-peaceful) outbreak of democracy. That "democratic revolution" does not have to be a sad oxymoron. But, after the assassination of her husband Sen. "Ninoy" Aquino on August 21 1983 on the stairs of the plane in which he was returning from exile, his widow, "Cory" Aquino, became the centre of a great popular rejection of the Marcos dictatorship, the original People Power Revolution of 1986.
I remember the shock of the Aquino assassination--it took place literally in the media spotlight. I also remember the excitement of the Aquino candidacy, the mass protests, with Church support, and the sudden surge of defections leading to the fall of the Marcos regime and President Cory Aquino's inauguration.
The People Power Revolution hardly solved all of the Philippines' problems--no revolution does. But it was a hopeful and inspiring event and, in retrospect, a model for other places.
At the centre was was this small, dignified widow who gave every impression of taking on a dangerous task for the simple reason that she could what probably no one else could and that it needed to be done. It was also a vindication and homage to her murdered husband. But she did it because it was the right thing to do. That she had always been a member of a rich and privileged elite meant little, as the murder of her equally elite husband testified. What mattered was that she put herself where the hopes of so many Filipinos lay and so could be both a focus and an inspiration. During her Presidency, she had to deal with both would be military coupists and the ongoing communist and muslim insurgencies. But she continued to stand firmly and courageously for democratic government.
It apparently took nine hours for the funeral procession to pass through the streets of Manila, the mass of people was so great. She remains their heroine.