The Aquino Legacy

Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III became the President of the Republic of the Philippines at the age of 50, the same age the late Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. died. It was not a coincident that the only son of Ninoy and Cory was the one to be elected President of the Philippines. It is because of the desire and will of the Filipino people to see the change in the country through good governance and a good leader. As the only son, Noynoy carries the legacy of his late parents, therefore, Noynoy have a great responsibility not only as a leader but also as the heir of name Aquino, the most covered political family in the Philippines.
It is not unknown to many why the parents of President Noynoy Aquino are highly regarded by the Filipinos. The late Ninoy Aquino was the one who exposed the plans of the Marcos government. He became the number one enemy of the then President Marcos because of his ideologies of democracy. When the former President Marcos first declared Martial Law on September 21, 1972, Ninoy was the first one to protest by going on a fasting for 40 days inside the prison cell. However, because of his heart disease, the Marcos government granted him amnesty provided that he and his family will go to Boston to have a heart surgery, in exchange that he would never come back in the country. Despite being in Boston, away from the dirty political arena, Ninoy remains a Filipino and true to his word. He became active by giving speech about the current situation in the Philippines and his views about it. After three years of living peacefully in Boston, Ninoy cannot ignore the cries of the many Filipinos who wanted change and democracy. He decided to come back home despite the rumors that he will be assassinated.
Filipinos, excited and eager to see him, tied a yellow ribbon, based on Ninoy’s favourite song Tie a Yellow Ribbon on an Old Oak Tree, in every corner as a sign of welcoming Ninoy back. As soon as Ninoy stepped down from the airport, a loud ‘bang’ was heard and Ninoy was suddenly seen lying on the ground, blood all over his body. The whole country was in grievance over the death of Ninoy, their only hope against the dictator government of Marcos. However, his death sparked the Edsa Revolution and in turn gave way to the presidency of Cory Aquino, Ninoy’s wife.
Cory, being politically inexperienced, proved herself worthy by restoring the democracy in our country that was once lost. She revised the constitution of the Philippines now known as the 1987 Philippine Constitution or the Freedom Constitution. She became one of the greatest Presidents in the history of the Philippines because of her honesty and humility.
Now, it is the turn of their only son, Noynoy Aquino, to continue their legacy and advocacy. The story of Ninoy and Cory has long been told, but for their son, this is only the beginning. His true story is just starting as he embarked on a journey called Presidency.