Rain or shine, Ninoy fever lives on

One would expect that on a day that it was raining torrents, few would troop to the Manila Memorial Park in Sucat, Parañaque to pay tribute to Ninoy Aquino on his 23rd death anniversary. But it seemed the rains were directly proportional to the numbers that showed up – the harder it rained, the more wanted to be counted as having not forgotten Ninoy.

The grass-covered grounds were rain-soaked and muddy, and gusts of rain blew through makeshift tents. No one sought refuge in their cars during the Mass (concelebrated by Fr. Catalino Arevalo S.J., Fr. Manny Dizon and a Korean priest), as if getting rain-soaked were a badge of courage.

Appreciating the huge turnout, former President Aquino quipped, "I prayed to Ninoy that none of you would get sick because of this."

Later, Cory would also ask the crowd (which included pro and anti-GMA forces) to pray for President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, "so she would be enlightened on what is best for the country."

Cory said she had told her son, Tarlac Rep. Noynoy Aquino, who is pro-impeachment, that if he believed in his cause, "then do what you believe is right, regardless of the consequences."

When a reporter later asked her if she was turning down GMA’s offer of reconciliation, Cory said, "Wala naman akong sinasabing ganoon."

But it seemed to be a good time in Cory’s life ("Of course, I have been misunderstood by some, but that is how life is in this world. Nobody really is given full understanding.") as it is in her youngest daughter Kris’ life.

"Professionally and personally, yes, it is a good time," Kris told The STAR when asked if today was one of the best times in her life. Cory told STAR columnist Wilson Lee Flores in an interview that Kris needs a patient man and her husband James Yap, "is a patient man."

Asked his reaction to Cory’s compliment, James said, "Totoo yan."

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Excerpts from Cory Aquino’s extemporaneous speech after the Mass:

"What I wanted to dwell on was the sacrifices that Ninoy offered for all of us. Especially during his seven years and seven months of incarceration. I used to ask him, ‘Ninoy, why do you think you would still able to awaken the Filipino people?’ Takot na takot sila, they don’t even want to be seen talking to me and the children when we see them outside. Then he said, ‘No, no, Cory, all we need is for one person to infect them with the germ of courage.’

"But I really did not think that he could or anyone could awaken the Filipino people. These days, when Noynoy reports to me on the going-ons in the Batasan, I always tell him, alam mo Noynoy, it always boils down to this: Do you believe that what you are doing is right? If you do, then just go ahead and do it, regardless of the consequences. There are times also when my children tell me, ‘Mom, siguro naman pwede ka na magpahinga ngayon, no.’ It’s just that when I pray and when I ask myself, what is it that I can still offer to our country? Of course, I have been misunderstood by some, but that is how life is in this world. Nobody really is given full understanding.

"In fact, when Ninoy was in prison, kung anu-anong sinasabi against him and yet he did not lose faith in the Filipino people.

"There were times when some of my friends would say, ‘Cory, baka naman pwedeng makipag-aregluhan na lang si Ninoy kay Marcos para hindi naman kayo nahihirapan masyado. Sabi ko, naku ni hindi ko binabanggit kay Ninoy yan dahil maliwanag na maliwanag sa kanya kung ano ang dapat nyang gawin.’ And let me tell all of you, if you had not been there on the day of the funeral, Aug. 31, 1983, if you had not been there sa Times St. up to Sto. Domingo, showing that not only did you believe in Ninoy but you sympathized with us, I don’t think I would have had the courage to go on and to continue Ninoy’s work.

"While it is true when I kissed him for the last time in his coffin in Times, I promised that I would continue his work in the restoration of our democracy, I really had no idea on how I was going to do this. But I just felt that I had to tell him that. And I know that so many things would not have been possible if there had not been people like you who were so ready and willing to make sacrifices.

"So I told Noynoy, so long as you believe it is the right thing to do, go ahead and do it. And do not worry about what people will say or what people will perhaps blame you for. Because in the end, we only have one judge. That is God. And we would tell Him, dear Lord, I really believed that that was what I should do."

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