Death and funeral of Corazon Aquino
Benigno, a quarter century before. | |
Date | August 1–5, 2009 |
---|---|
Location | Philippines |
Participants | People of the Philippines |
Outcome | National day of mourning and funeral procession Candidacy and subsequent election of Senator Benigno Aquino III in the 2010 election as President of the Philippines |
The Aquino family declined an invitation by government to grant the former president a state funeral.[1] Her funeral was held on August 5, 2009, and her body was buried at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque. She is the first woman and the second President and layman after Carlos P. García to have their wake at the Manila Cathedral.[2]
Health
Ako'y nagpápasalamat sa inyong lahat at lalong-lalo na sa Panginoóng Diyos na ginawâ Niya akong isang Pilipino. Talagang karangalan ko iyon na maging katulad niyo at maraming salamat sa lahat ng tulong na ibinigay ninyo sa akin.
(I am thanking you all and especially theFilipino. It was indeed my honour to be like unto you all, and many thanks for all the help that you all had given unto me.)— Corazon Aquino, September 3, 2008[3]
Diagnosis
In December 2007, Aquino experienced periodic fluctuations of
On March 24, 2008, her youngest daughter, television presenter and actress
Following the announcement,
Citizens were shocked because some days before, Aquino had made a public appearance at protests against the
On March 25 at approximately 18:00
Aquino had made some progress in April and her appetite returned.[13][14][15] In public remarks made on May 13, 2008, Aquino herself announced that blood tests indicated that she was responding positively to the medical treatment.[16]
By July 2009, however, she was reported to be in a very severe condition and kept in hospital due to loss of appetite and chronic baldness.[17] It was announced that Aquino and her family had decided to discontinue the chemotherapy sessions and other medical intervention.[18][19]
Death
Aquino died at the
Her son, Senator Benigno Aquino III, announced her death to the media at 05:00. The Aquino family was then reported to have declined the government's invitation for a state funeral.[22]
Wake and funeral
Wake
Aquino's casket initially
The
In a surprising gesture of civility, Representative
Roman Catholic dioceses across the country held their own Requiem Masses for Aquino, which replaced the initial "healing masses" intended for her recovery.[30] Meanwhile, the government declared a week of national mourning for her death.[31] As much as 7,000 mourners waited in line at the Manila Cathedral on August 4.[32]
Requiem Mass and funeral
The Requiem Mass for Aquino was held on August 5, and was officiated by then-Balanga Bishop Socrates Villegas with then-Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, along with more than a dozen other bishops and priests. Jesuit priest Catalino Arevalo, Aquino's personal friend and spiritual adviser delivered the homily.
Aquino's flag-draped casket paused at the steps of Manila Cathedral for departure honours, after which a brass band performed four
The funeral process then exited
Aquino's casket arrived at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque, eight hours after leaving the cathedral. Her immediate family and close associates rode in a caravan of 13 coaches, while mourners and supporters in black and yellow marched beside the hearse and lined the route, chanting her name and flashing the Laban sign ("fight" made by holding the thumb and forefinger at right angles to form an "L"). The crowd that lined the funeral route that passed through Manila, Makati, Pasay, and Parañaque was estimated to be between 100,000 and 500,000 people.[citation needed]
When the cortege reached Manila Memorial, Aquino was given
Attendance at the burial were originally restricted to Aquino's family and close friends, but the crowd broke through the security barriers after the last of the convoy's coaches entered the gates of Manila Memorial. Though the crowd was inside the memorial park, they maintained a respectful distance from the mausoleum.[34]
Bishop Socrates Villegas and Catalino Arévalo gave the final blessing, and as per the family's request, the casket was opened one last time. The plate glass was removed, and after the priests and the Aquino siblings sprinkled the former president's body with holy water, family members queued to give her a parting kiss. The casket was then sealed, the flag was removed, and a final military salute given, with the folded flag presented to Senator Aquino. The pallbearers then pushed the casket into the tomb to the applause of the crowd, after which mourners placed white and yellow flowers inside. As the tomb was being sealed, the congregation sang Bayan Ko again, followed by several Catholic hymns.
Aquino's grave marker is in the same style as her husband's: a simple, grey marble plaque with her name, nickname, and the dates of birth and death inscribed in black.
Reaction
Domestic
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was on a state visit in Washington, D.C. when she was informed about the President Aquino's death, called Aquino a "national treasure". She cut her trip short to return to Manila for Aquino's wake. Arroyo also announced a 10-day mourning period for the former president, and issued Administrative Order No. 269 authorising "official acts and observances" to help in the funeral.[35]
Former President
An opinion among some Roman Catholics in the country was to push for Aquino's
International reaction
Diplomats from South Africa, Brazil, Turkey, United Kingdom, Iran, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Sweden, Thailand, Iraq, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, Mexico, France, and Pakistan, among others, and the representative of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) attended the wake of the former president.[42][43]
- Brazil – Brazilian Ambassador Alcides G.R. Prates offered his country's condolences to Aquino family and the Filipino people.[42]
- Canada – Canadian Ambassador Robert Desjardins said Aquino has been recognized internationally for her contributions to human rights and political freedoms, values that Canada strongly shares with the Philippines, adding that she will be sincerely missed by the international community, and people everywhere, including the 300,000 Canadians of Filipino origin.
The government and the people of Canada would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the Filipino people. President Aquino will be remembered as a leader who ushered in a new era of freedom in the Philippines, and inspired millions around the world. She was an international icon of democracy, a global model of people power, and a passionate advocate of good governance.[44]
— Robert Desjardins, Ambassador of the Canadian Embassy in the Philippines
- Chile – Chile's Ambassador to the Philippines Ovid Harasich was also at the wake and hailed Aquino for her important role in bringing democracy back in the country. He said the people of Chile were saddened by Aquino's demise.[45]
- People's Republic of China – The Embassy of the People's Republic of China has issued the following statement:
We are deeply saddened on hearing the news that former President Corazon Cojuangco Aquino passed away early this morning. The Philippines lost an inspiring statesman while China, in sharp grief, bereaved of a sincere friend. President Aquino made great efforts in developing China-Philippine friendly relations. Her vision would be remembered and her contribution would be long cherished by China and the Chinese people. May she rest in peace.[44][46]
- Chinese Ambassador Liu Jianchao also recalled his meeting with Cory in 1988, when the Liu was serving as a junior diplomat under China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
She was the first head of state that I met in my lifetime and I was very impressed with her grace and courage in developing bilateral relations between our countries. I am very grateful for what she did.[43]
— Liu Jianchao, Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to the Philippines
- East Timor – East Timor President José Ramos-Horta, a long-time friend of Aquino, broke protocol when he came to Manila to attend the funeral. Diplomats looked down on the gesture for heads of state given the fact that it was not a state funeral. Ramos-Horta braved a downpour and arrived on Wednesday morning in time for the funeral mass at Manila Cathedral. However, he had to proceed to Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque ahead of the mourners because he could not sit for long hours due to the wound he sustained from an attempt on his life in East Timor in 2008.
I'm always impressed by leaders who showed compassion and humility. To me, there is no greater quality in a leader than being compassionate and being humble because only through compassion and humility that one can bridge the divide, build bridges of dialogue between communities and between warring sections... No amount of intellect or academic record can replace compassion and humility that was Cory Aquino... Cory Aquino, through her compassion and humility, inspired me.[47]
— José Ramos-Horta, President of East Timor
- European Union – Ambassador Alistair MacDonald of the delegation of the European Commission to the Philippines led the European Union in expressing grief over the death of Aquino.
Throughout her presidential term, and notwithstanding a number of severe challenges, she never flinched in her determination to ensure that the Philippines would not veer from its democratic path.[44]
— Alistair MacDonald, Ambassador of the European Union Commission to the Philippines
- Finland – Finnish Ambassador Heikki Hannikainen said that Cory's leadership led to a new era of hope and promise to Filipinos.[43]
- Hong Kong – A representative of the territory's Chief Executive Donald Tsang went to the Philippine Consulate to write in the book of condolences.[42]
- Indonesia – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the Philippines' nearest neighbour Indonesia said in a statement he was saddened by the news and offered his heartfelt condolences.[48]
- Taro Asohailed Aquino's contribution to friendly ties between the two countries:
We would like to sincerely renew our deep respect for her achievement.[48]
— Taro Aso, Prime Minister of Japan
- Wan Azizah, arrived in Manila on the Sunday of the funeral to pay tribute to former Philippine president Corazon Aquino:
Now that she is gone, I feel grief and the loss not only for the Filipinos but for myself.
Wan Azizah
The Malaysian people have a special reason to view her as an iconic figure. Their striving for a return of their country to the dispensation entrusted to it by its founding Constitution mirrors hers and Ninoy's successful struggle to return the Filipino nation to the promise of Jose Rizal's legacy.[50]
— Anwar Ibrahim, Leader of the Opposition of Malaysia and former Deputy Prime Minister
- Russia – President Dmitry Medvedev in a telegram to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo stated:
The name of Corazon Aquino is associated with a period of profound reforms and the democratic transformation of Filipino society.
— Dmitry Medvedev, President of Russia
- Medvedev also noted that Corazon Aquino showed great interest and sympathy to Russia and prioritised the development of Russian-Filipino relations.[39]
- Singapore – Singapore, in a statement from the Foreign Ministry, lauded her as "a remarkable woman" who worked tirelessly for the betterment of the Philippines.[48]
- Kim Dae-Jung recounted to the Philippine Embassy how the 1986 People Power Revolution that catapulted Aquino to power inspired similar democratic movements worldwide, including his country's own venture into democracy in 1987 following massive rallies.[42]
- Switzerland – Swiss Ambassador Peter Sutter said that Mrs. Aquino conquered the hearts of the Swiss people when she visited Switzerland in June 1988.
As champion of democracy, she will remain an inspiration to us all.[43]
— Peter Sutter, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Philippines
- Thailand – Thailand has sent condolences on the death of former president Aquino who died Saturday after a yearlong battle with colon cancer. In his message to Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said his government and the people of Thailand have learned with "deep sadness and join the Republic of the Philippines in mourning of the demise of Her Excellency Corazon Aquino."
Her Excellency Aquino's contributions to the development of the country and tireless devotion to peace, stability and democracy for the people of the Republic of the Philippines are well recognised throughout the world and will always be remembered and cherished by all of us with admiration and respect.[51]
— Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand
- United Kingdom – The British Government has extended its condolences to the family of the late President through Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis.
- Former Foreign Office Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown, who worked closely with Mrs Aquino during her election campaign added:
I received the news of Corazon Aquino's death with great sadness. As an advisor in her campaign against President Marcos, the privilege of working with Cory and watching her was one of my life's greatest lessons in courage, leadership, the art of politics and humanity. The way she and all her family made such friends of me as an outsider is something I have always treasured.
—Lord Malloch-Brown
- British Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Beckingham also said:
I had the honour and pleasure of meeting former President Aquino on several occasions, when we were able to discuss her visits to London and her interests in members of the Filipino community in Britain, especially those serving in the Church. Those discussions left me with an overwhelming sense of her grace, charisma and compassion. The Philippines has lost a wonderful leader who is widely admired in Britain for her courage and inspiration.[52]
— Peter Beckingham, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the Philippines
- Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IIalso mourns Cory's death and said:
- Her Majesty
I am saddened to hear of the death of Corazon 'Cory' Aquino the former President of the Republic of the Philippines. I send my sincere condolences to her family and to the people of the Philippines.
Queen Elizabeth II
- United Nations World Food ProgramCountry Director Stephen Anderson said that:
She was the beacon of democracy for this country and for the world. She was very much committed to helping those who are disadvantaged and her legacy remains. We're very sad for her family's loss but what she represents is an inspiration to the world.
WFP
- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonvoiced his deep sadness over the passing of former Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Ban paid tribute to the former president for her "exceptional courage and pivotal role in the restoration and consolidation of democracy in the Philippines," which she governed from 1986 to 1992.
Mrs. Aquino will be remembered as a beacon of democracy not only in the Philippines but also around the world.[54]
— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations
- United States – According to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, President Barack Obama was deeply saddened by the death of President Aquino.
Ms. Aquino played a crucial role in Philippines history, moving the country to democratic rule through her non-violent "People Power" movement over twenty years ago. Her courage, determination, and moral leadership are an inspiration to us all and exemplify the best in the Filipino nation. On behalf of the American people, the President extends his deepest condolences to the Aquino family and the nation of the Philippines".[55]
— Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary
- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Former U.S. President Bill Clinton expressed their condolences and said that they were "inspired by her quiet strength and her unshakable commitment to justice and freedom".[56]
- Kristie A. Kenneysaid in a statement:
On behalf of the U.S. Embassy, I would like to express our most heartfelt condolences to the Aquino family and to the people of the Philippines on the death of former President Corazon Aquino.[57]
— Kristie Kenney, US Ambassador to the Philippines
- Vatican City – According to the Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, Pope Benedict XVI recalled Corazon Aquino's "courageous commitment to the freedom of the Filipino people." He remembered her "as a woman of deep and unwavering faith".[58]
Internet
- On the day of Aquino's funeral, Friendster created a special profile page that allowed users to become a fan of the former president.[59]
- On the week of Aquino's death, she became a trending topic on the social networking site Twitter. Users were also able to add yellow ribbons to their pictures to symbolize Aquino.
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