Philippines' Aquino looms larger in death (News Feature)

By John Grafilo Aug 4, 2009, 7:29 GMT

   Manila - Merly David fondly recalled when late former Philippine leader Corazon Aquino shook her dirty hand when she visited their slum in Manila's suburban city of Taquig shortly after she became president in 1986.

   The 38-year-old mother of eight said she was mesmerized by the simplicity and down-to-earth attitude of the former leader fondly called 'Tita Cory' (Aunt Cory) by Filipinos.

   'She promised to provide us with water and electricity and to pave our roads. She made good those promises,' she said as she joined more than 100,000 people who waited for hours to catch a glimpse of Aquino's coffin.

   'She was a very simple woman, a real mother,' David added. 'She shook our dirty hands and even hugged us there in the streets as if we were her children.'

   The unprecedented turnout of people at the 76-year-old leader's wake has evoked memories of the four-day 'people power' revolt in 1986 when millions of Filipinos took to the streets in the name of Aquino to oust the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

   Aquino, the widow of assassinated senator Benigno Aquino, was declared president after Marcos and his family fled in self-imposed exile. She ruled the Philippines from 1986 to 1992.

   The same 'Cory magic' prompted people to come out on to the streets again in 2001 to oust former president Joseph Estrada, who was accused of massive corruption.

   As Filipinos prepared to say their final goodbye to Aquino, analysts were hoping that the grief would prompt people to act with the same unity when they followed her lead in the fight against Marcos.

   'Death is a very provocative trigger,' political commentator Vergel De Dios said. 'It seems to me that shedding some tears, grieving, filing by her coffin for a last glimpse would be a self-centred act of erasing guilt.'

   'I doubt very much if that's the kind of payment Cory will be expecting from us,' he added. 'I suppose now we are expected to step up, armed with her own legacy. This is our perfect hour, we have to show Cory that she has not died, she has not left in vain.'

   Ronaldo Veloso was guilt-stricken as he waited in line Tuesday to pay his respects to Aquino at Manila Cathedral, one day before her burial.

   The 45-year-old travel executive was a student activist when Aquino led the 1986 'people power' revolution that toppled the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

   But Veloso admitted that he ignored the former president's recent calls for Filipinos to protest against efforts by the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to tinker with the 1987 constitution, allegedly to extend her term.

   'I have become too cynical about our political system,' he said. 'I gave up on her dreams of seeing our government work for the people. Her death now inspires me to live her dreams in my own little way.'

   Franklin Drilon, an ex-senator and former justice secretary in the Aquino administration, said Aquino's legacy to the country was her moral leadership and her sincerity in serving the people.

   'Only the welfare of the people in our country was the motivating factor in all that she did,' he said. 'Some may have disagreed with her but I could assure everyone that President Cory was the most sincere person I have known in my life.'

   Even those who crossed the democratic icon had nothing but praise for her.

   Former navy commodore Rex Robles wept openly as he apologized to Aquino for being one of the leaders of seven failed coup attempts against her.

   'We were all men. We thought that we can do it because she was just a woman,' he said. 'But we stood face to face with a woman who had a very strong resolve and pure heart. So we failed.'

   Robles said that despite Aquino's shortcomings as a president, her strong moral character should remind Filipinos of the best they can be.

   'There were shining moments exemplified by President Aquino that we can probably emulate, that we can use as an example so that we can do away with rampant corruption and straight-faced lying in government,' he said.

   'Hopefully, our leaders who continue to steal and lie to Filipinos as if they have the right to do so would be able to reflect and stop, probably not right away, but slowly,' he added.

   Aquino has also become an inspiration to those who were not yet born when she led the revolution against Marcos and governed the country from 1986 to 1992.

   'She makes us proud as a people and as a nation,' said Joana Toralde, 19, a student. 'Through her leadership, she showed us Filipinos that we can be united. She not only showed her love for country, she fought for the country.'

   'Without her courage, we would not be enjoying the freedom we have today,' she added.

   Toralde said she hoped that Aquino's death would be a wake-up call for Filipinos to continue the fight to preserve the country's hard-won democracy.

   'I feel a bit disappointed and frustrated because we are already being oppressed and we are not doing anything about it, unlike before when we really fought for our rights,' she said. 'Today, we don't seem to care.'