I grew up at a time when political turmoil was at its peak, Our entire nation was fed up with the bondage of oppression and dictatorship. I was 3 years old when her husband, the late Senator Ninoy Aquino was assasinated at the tarmac of NAIA. I can still remember the image of Ninoy lying face down at the airport from our black and white TV, I did not understand what was going on then, all I can recall was the image of a lifeless man.
3 years later, Corazon Aquino became the face that spawned change in our country's history. The world turned its eyes on the Philippines as it watched the most peaceful uprising the world will ever know. In its center was Ninoy Aquino's widow, who will later become the president who restored democracy in our country, after over 2 decades of military rule, wrought by injustice and cruelty.
The only president who served with honesty and integrity, now leaves us with memories of her selflessness and enduring faith in God. I never realized how much impact she created in my political subconscious until her passing. And its sad that its more often true in all human dealings. We only realize how much a person means to us when he's/she's gone.
The entire country mourned her passing, I mourn for her and the ideals she fought for, democracy might forever be a concept and may never be attainable for as long as there are people who pervertedly uses power as a means for control and gain. In her death we lost a great leader, and lost the embodiment of conscience and honesty. We lost our conscience. She was an instrument of change. But the times has changed along with the meaning of democracy. Its no longer a government of the people for the people and by the people, it may very well be a government of some people, for some people and by some people.
Let us not taint the memory of Corazon Aquino with false hopes and failed dreams, honor her by restoring faith in the true meaning of democracy. Only then can we be worthy of her sacrifice and call her Tita Cory.
