President Benigno Aquino III called on Filipinos to be everyday heroes on Wednesday, the 30th year since his father, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. was shot and killed at the Manila International Airport.
Senator Aquino had been living in exile in the U.S. after being detained by the Marcos administration for seven years. He was killed on the tarmac, an incident that the President said was “a turning point in our narrative.”
“In grief, the indomitable Filipino spirit was awakened. This spurred the People Power that brought back our people’s liberty and our national dignity,” the President, who adopted the yellow ribbon symbol associated with his father during the 2010 election campaign, said.
“As we celebrate his courage and patriotism, may we be reminded that individual choice can change the course of our history, and that each and every Filipino carries the potential to bring about lasting transformation in society. Let the heroes in each of us thrive in our everyday words and action, in service of the greater good; exercise the freedom we enjoy today to spark a revolution for positive change and cast our stake in forging our destiny as a nation,” he said.
—
Photo: Malacanang
