Remembering Manuel Quezon and Ninoy Aquino

The month of August is both the birth month of President Manuel L. Quezon and the month when Ninoy Aquino was shot and killed in the national airport now bearing his name. Quezon was born in Baler on August 19, 1878 and died in New York on August 1, 1944 at age 62. Ninoy Aquino was born on November 23, 1932 and died on August 21, 1983, at age 51.

Quezon has been made famous by his audacity in declaring: "I prefer a government run like hell by Filipinos to a government run like heaven by Americans". He was the first Filipino to head a national government of the whole Philippines. General Emilio Aguinaldo's republic, aside from being short-lived, was not recognized by any other state, and did not enjoy national support. It was largely a Tagalog republic, where the Ilocanos, Capampangans, Bicolanos, Warays, Ilonggos and Cebuanos, much less Mondanaoans, were not represented. It can thus be said that MLQ, as he was fondly called, was our first national leader. His loyal partner, Sergio Osmeña, ascended to the presidency in 1944.

Ninoy Aquino's life was romanticized by many writers because he was a very dynamic, passionate, aggressive and bold activist who was ambitious, daring and fearless. He studied in La Salle, San Beda and Ateneo. He was an eloquent speaker and debater. He was elected mayor at age 23, vice governor at age 27 and governor at age 29. He became a senator at 35. He was arrested in 1972 immediately after the declaration of Martial Law. Detained for seven years, he was released and was allowed to go to the US due to his heart problem. He and his family lived in Boston, Massachusetts until he decided to come home in August 1983.

Quezon is remembered for his advocacy for land reform. Aquino was married to Cory Aquino, who belonged to the biggest hacienderos in Luzon, the Cojuangcos. While as president, Cory was supposed to advocate for a comprehensive agrarian reform. As counselled by Ninoy earlier in their marriage, the son of the Aquinos, PNoy fought hard to resist the implementation of the agrarian law. The Supreme Court Chief Justice who had the courage to rule in favor of the distribution of the hacienda lots to the tenants found himself impeached by the senators under PNoy's ruling party.

Somehow, the life of Quezon and that of Ninoy had some parallels. Ninoy lived in Boston while Quezon rested in Saranac Lake in the upstate of New York, where he died of tuberculosis. Ninoy had chosen to return home because he would have died just the same due to his heart disease had he chosen to stay in Boston. Because of Ninoy's crucial decision to return, his wife became president, courtesy of the combined forces of the Church, the big business and the US which wanted a more pro-American president. And because Cory died, her son became president. The Philippine presidency had become a consolidation for the bereaved.

Both MLQ and Ninoy have special places in our history. The family of Quezon never gained anything out of MLQ's demise. The Aquinos gained two presidencies due to the death of Ninoy. MLQ did not leave any large tract of lands nor political posts to his heirs. Until now, Hacienda Luisita is in the hands of the Cojuangcos.