Farewell Corazon Aquino

Today the Filipino people bid farewell to former president Corazon Aquino, as hundreds of thousands converged on the streets to wait for the passing of her flag-draped casket, waving yellow ribbons and showering confetti and yellow flowers. Former president Cory Aquino rose to prominence after the 1983 assassination of her husband from his return from U.S. exile to challenge Marcos. She has led the Philippines towards truth, justice and democracy after many years of martial law under the Marcos regime.

While watching the necrological service given to former president Cory at the Manila Cathedral, I was in awe of how many people were there to pay their respect. Even though hundreds of thousand of people were waiting outside the Manila Cathedral, it was still solemn and well organized. Crowd control was definitely secured with barricades for public safety as well as the security of the well-known politicians and celebrities who came to pay respect to the former president.

As there were so many people that thronged the streets and waited for hours just to see the Cory Aquino's coffin, the Aquino family were overwhelmed with gratitude for all of those people. The number of people lining up were so vast in number that a velvet rope or stanchions would not be enough to prevent some people from following the whole entourage of the funeral procession going to Manila Memorial Park. It was very touching and I felt how Cory Aquino has touched the lives of the Filipinos with her goodness and bravery.

Whenever there is a political crisis, Cory Aquino always rose above the bureaucratic procrastination to remind us Filipinos that we had once astonished the world with our bravery. She was divinely inspired and her legacy will forever live in the hearts of her people.