MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino yesterday paid tribute to his late mother, former President Corazon Aquino, on social media as the country commemorated her passing six years ago.
Aquino posted on his Twitter and Facebook accounts as well as on his website president.gov.ph a photograph of his mother captioned, “Remembering former President Cory.”
Following her death in 2009, calls for Aquino to run for president snowballed, prompting the presumptive Liberal Party standard-bearer at that time, then senator Manuel Roxas II, to give way to him.
On Friday, it was Aquino’s turn to endorse Roxas as the administration’s presidential candidate at the historic Club Filipino in San Juan.
Roxas thanked the President, saying it was an honor for him to carry the torch that Aquino’s parents passed on to him.
Binays send flowers to Cory’s tomb
Vice President Jejomar Binay and his son, suspended Makati Mayor Junjun Binay, sent flowers to Cory’s tomb.
The Binays paid tribute to the former President in commemoration of her 6th death anniversary.
The wreaths were seen placed near Cory’s tomb beside the grave of former senator Ninoy Aquino.
The flowers were sent a day after the President endorsed Roxas as the standard-bearer of the ruling Liberal Party in next year’s elections.
“Six years since her passing, President Cory continues to inspire us as we move to build a better nation where all Filipinos share the fruits of progress and government places the welfare and interest of the people above party politics and economic interests,” the Vice President said in a statement.
“I have made this statement several times but it needs to be repeated: President Cory inspires us to be better Filipinos and better servants of the people,” he added.
Binay’s spokesman Joey Salgado said Binay has not received invitation for any activity in commemoration of Cory’s death anniversary.
Salgado, however, said the Vice President has no intention of attending any activity in light of recent events.
“Given the political atmosphere, the Vice President’s presence could take away the focus from President Cory’s legacy,” Salgado said.
“The Vice President said a prayer for Cory as he does every year,” he added.
Binay, presidential bet of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance, attributes his political break to Cory, who appointed him as chief executive of Makati following the EDSA People Power 1.
He had close ties with the Aquinos.
Recently, the Aquino and Binay camps have been engaged in a word war following the resignation of the Vice President from the Cabinet in June.
Cory stamps
The Philippine Postal Corp. (PhlPost) said there was a slow start in the sales of the second series of scented stamps featuring Cory’s paintings.
But PhlPost marketing management and support services manager Enrique Tagle said they expect the sales to pick up next week.
“We are expecting high sales from the second series of the Cory Aquino stamps compared to the first series because the former President has a following not only in the Philippines but also abroad,” Tagle said.
He said they have been receiving orders in bulk for the Cory stamps from corporations.
PhlPost launched the second series of Cory stamps on July 29 at the Sofitel Hotel, with P21,000 in initial sales.
The stamps were made available starting July 29 as part of the commemoration of Cory’s 6th death anniversary on Aug. 1.
PhlPost sold 160,000 out of the 200,000 stamps printed last year.
The children of the former President thanked PhlPost for featuring their mother’s paintings in stamps.
“The lives that President Cory touched would continue to be inspired by her memory not only for her love of the country but also for her strong quality as a mother and wife,” PhlPost postmaster general Ma. Josefina dela Cruz said. – With Janvic Mateo, Evelyn Macairan