No plans yet to name any Tarlac town after Ninoy

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga, Philippines  – Is Concepcion town in Tarlac ready to be renamed after its heroic son, the late Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., whose 32nd death anniversary on Aug. 21 will be marked anew as an official non-working holiday?

“There is yet no town named after Ninoy and people have suggested renaming his birthplace Concepcion after him,” Concepcion Mayor Andres Lacson said in a press conference here.

Ninoy was born in Concepcion on Nov. 27, 1932. He became mayor in 1955 at age 22 and served in that position until 1959. At 27, he became vice governor of Tarlac and two years later he became governor, the youngest at that time. Ninoy was also the youngest to be elected senator at the age of 34 in 1967.

Republic Act No. 9256 mandated that Aug. 21 is an official non-working holiday in honor of Ninoy’s death. On Aug. 21, 1983, Ninoy, a critic of the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, was shot dead at the Manila International Airport. His death sparked the start of the first people power revolution that toppled the Marcos regime. The airport is now named after Ninoy.

Some residents expressed belief that the passage of a law renaming Concepcion after Ninoy would be smoother with his son in Malacañang.

President Aquino, the only son of Ninoy and the late President Corazon Aquino, was invited by Lacson to cut the ribbon at the newly rehabilitated Ninoy Monument in front of the town hall on the 32nd death anniversary of his father.

A marker with a brief biography of Ninoy and a fountain were constructed at the monument.

“His attendance on Aug. 21 would be his first visit to Concepcion since I became mayor,” Lacson said, adding that Aquino seldom visited Concepcion since he was elected president.

But Lacson clarified that there is still no move to change the name of the town that was named after the Immaculate Conception.

“I don’t think townsfolk, who are predominantly Catholic, are ready to abandon the name of the Blessed Mother,” he said.

“While we admire Ninoy for his heroism, the old sentiment is that the Blessed Mother has remained our protector,” he added.

According to local history, the early settlement that became Concepcion used to be plagued by snakes. The snakes vanished after the area was consecrated to and named after the Immaculate Conception.

While the move to rename the town after Ninoy is not yet clear, Lacson noted that Concepcion is the first town in the Philippines to erect a monument honoring Ninoy.

“The monument was inaugurated by former President Corazon Aquino early in her presidential term,” Lacson said.

While most projects implemented in Concepcion during Aquino’s presidency came from local revenues, Lacson said he understands the predicament of the President who, he recalled, once asked for the understanding of Tarlac folk for not favoring Tarlac with more government projects than other provinces.

“I understand his sentiments. He probably did not want to be accused of being partial towards his native province as he is president of the entire country,” Lacson said.