Ninoy, August 21
This is one of the memorable jokes of Ninoy Aquino, who could have been the best or the worst president the Philippines , if only fate had not intervened. And that will depend which side you are on. He was addressing a crowd in one function hall in Los Angeles, USA.
Here is his joke: ‘ Nagpasyal daw si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos sa National Mental Hospital at nagtalumpati siya doon. Kada minuto daw habang nagsasalita si Marcos sinasalubong siya ng masigabong palakpakan ng crowd. Noong pagkatapos ng kaniyang talumpati, tinanong ang direktor ng ospital: Bakit napansin ko iyong isang nakaupo sa third row lahat pumapalakpak, bukod na lang siya at ni hindi nangingiti? Sagot daw ng direktor: Mr. President, magaling na po kasi siya at lalabas na siya bukas.”
Senator Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino, Jr., the would-be president of the Philippines hadn’t President Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in September 21, 1972 was enjoying his freedom in the United States with his family whom he have missed for many years due to his incarceration. He lived a peaceful life in Boston, Massachusetts with wife Cory and their children. He was a sought after lecturer in some universities in the United States. He often received media and political friends in his Boston residence and got updated what was the latest about Marcos and the country under the dictator’s rule.
And on August 21, 1983, he decided to return to the Philippines after receiving the news that the dictator was very sick and may expire any day. Ninoy was forewarned that if Marcos will die and he was not in the Philippines he will lose his chance to succeed the ailing dictator. So he packed his bags and accompanied by foreign media on his way back home. But he returned from exile only to be killed at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport, now Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), renamed after him. That gunshot that felled Ninoy was heard all over the world, and public outrage was the response of the people.
Numerous demonstrations coming from the ranks of student activists and civil society groups became constant. Civil society, progressive students and various organizations rose in unison against the repressive regime.
But the Marcos administration ignored the clear messages the rallies were sending. And aside from the police actions initiated by the minions of Marcos in the police and military organizations against the activists, the whole propaganda machine of the government painted a picture of stability. Which was not so.
It was not until in February 1986 when two of his men, then Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile and AFP Vice Chief of Staff Fidel Ramos turned their backs against him and the EDSA people power followed. The rest is history. The Aquinos got more than what Ninoy could wish for. The housewife and only son became presidents of our country. A brother and a sister became senators. And his youngest daughter became a celebrity.
TWEETS: + Losses in hundreds of millions of pesos due to bird flu. The poultry raisers in Pampanga are now feeling the pinch.
+ItisnewlooknowattheKoreantowninAngeles City with the widening of the road. Try restaurant hopping in the early evening.
+ Happy birthday to the following who celebrated/ celebrating their birthdays. Atoy de La Cruz, Jaypee Bautista, TJ Rodriguez, Alma Diyosa Mahusay, Shirley Gamboa, Nathan Sangil Reyes, Manny Galang, Willie Martinez, Nica Banola, BM Cherry Manalo and Willie Ng.