A somber mood welcomed the last homecoming of the "illustrious" son of Ateneo.
Former President Benigno "Noynoy" S. Aquino III returned to the Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) -- where he studied from elementary to college -- for the last time.
Aquino's remain arrived at the Church of Gesu in AdMU on Saturday morning for the necrological mass before the inurnment.
"Nakakagulat, nakakahinayang, nakakalungkot (Shocking, regrettable, saddening)."
That was how Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas described the death of the 15th Philippine president.
Aquino's silence after his presidential term was a silence of dignity as he brought dignity and honesty to his service to the nation as our president, he preserved dignity after his retirement, Villegas said.
"It was the silence of noble statesman now rare and forgotten. It was the silence of daang matuwid (straight path). It was the silence of nobility, the sense of dignity that we truly miss now," he added.
His death, however, was not at all surprising, continued the archbishop.
"PNoy died as he lived. He served without fanfare, he abhorred power trapping and power tripping, he slipped away quietly as much as possible, disturbing no one. Walang wang-wang. Very PNoy and not surprising," Villegas said.
"The flags at half-staff are not only for the dead president, but for the dying decent governance. Tayo ang boss nya (We are his bosses), he lived by it, we are grateful for it," he added.
Villegas hopes Aquino's death "will spark another fire within us to resurrect his example of decency and dignity."
The sincerest form of tribute to the late president, said Villegas, is to relive his life lessons of decency and ethical leadership.
"His mortal remains are now ashes, but his integrity and decency must resurrect through us and in the leaders we choose," he added.
"Buti pa si PNoy malaya na talaga (PNoy is free already). There is a new great Filipino is heaven, joining his great Filipino parents," Villegas said.
After the Mass, Aquino's remains will be buried at the Manila Memorial Part in Sucat, Parañaque City, alongside his parents, former Senator Benigno Aquino "Ninoy" Aquino and former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino.
Aquino, 61, died on Thursday morning, June 24.