The late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III was welcomed home by his alma mater, Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU), on Friday, June 25.
The university opened its doors for the public viewing of the cremated remains of the country’s 15th president who died in his sleep on Thursday, June 24, “due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.”
“The Ateneo De Manila is very honored and privileged to welcome home our illustrious son, Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III,” ADMU President Fr. Roberto Yap said during the blessing of the late president’s ashes.
“Noynoy spent many happy years in the Ateneo, in this very campus, since grade school, high school and for college. And we are very proud to say that somehow we had an influence in his life, forming him as we try to form all our students into men and women for others,” he added.
The university president said that Pnoy was “a person for others, a leader for others, a president for others imbued with competence, conscience commitment and compassion.”
In an earlier statement, Yap called Aquino as a “a true-blue Atenean” as the former president completed his elementary, high school, and college education at the Ateneo. He graduated with a degree in Economics in 1981.
“Despite the ups and downs of his term, he will be remembered as a President who showed our nation and the world how leadership with competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment can bring about a marked difference in the lives of millions of people,” Yap said.
“He will also be remembered for representing the Philippines with honor and dignity, elevating our country's status on the world stage,” he added.
The public viewing held at the university’s Church of Gesu was live-streamed in Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM Facebook page, and will run until 10 p.m.