The Quezon City Council approved a resolution declaring January 25 as Cory Aquino Democracy Day in the city beginning next year in honor of the former president’s sacrifices that helped restore democracy in the country.

Councilor Ariel Inton of the fourth district said that starting next year, public schools and local government offices in the city will conduct special events to remind, educate and enrich the public’s knowledge about the greatness of the late president.

He said bestowing the honor to the city’s most outstanding citizen, who passed away last August 1 due to colon cancer, will make the public especially the young more appreciative of the “democracy that we are enjoying now’’.

Also in honor of the deceased president, Inton said the Quezon City government will bestow the Cory Aquino Award to the city’s Gawad Parangal Award for Most Outstanding Citizen beginning this year.

The award is conferred to the city’s ordinary citizens who, through their lives of virtue and outstanding citizenship, have contributed greatly to make the community and society a better place to live in.

Councilor Jaime Borres of the third district of Quezon City added that the city government will honor and immortalize the country’s and Asia’s first female president with a monument to enable future generations of city residents to remember and emulate her traits.

In the resolution, the city council acknowledged that the country would not be enjoying the fruits of democracy and the legislature would not have existed in the country if not for Aquino’s relentless defense and quest for freedom.

The resolution also noted that there has never been a Philippine leader so honored and cherished in the hearts and the minds of the Filipinos not because of her title or power but because of her values and her life which demonstrated fidelity to God and faith in the Filipino people.

President Aquino’s extraordinary example of leadership showed the whole world that fundamental and broad-reaching change and transformation can happen through peaceful means even in the face of seeming insurmountable odds.

“She inspired and catalyzed the phenomena of the People Power Revolution. The best way we can honor our national inspiration and spiritual leader of democracy is to continue her fight for a democratic Philippines and a values-centered leadership in both local and national government,’’ Borres noted.