An icon of change.
This is how most Filipinos of today remember the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. for his death sparked the nation’s desire to reclaim its once-lost democracy.
Forty-one years after his assassination on the tarmac of the then-Manila International Airport on Aug. 21, 1983, Ninoy’s legacy is not lost.
What do college students think of Ninoy?
Hannah Leonardo, a 21-year-old editor-in-chief of a university newsletter, said Ninoy, who was 50 years old when he died, was the “symbol” that the people needed during the martial law years.
“At the time of the Marcos administration, I think Ninoy was the symbol that people needed, as he continuously served as a vigilant watcher and was one of the factors for the downfall of the regime,” she said.
Student filmmaker Adrian Espino shared the same sentiment that Ninoy was the catalyst Filipinos needed during the martial law years. The 21-year-old student said this was most evident in the two million people that lined up the streets during his funeral procession that lasted 12 hours.
“Para sa akin, si Ninoy Aquino ay isang tagapagbago at magiting na lumalaban para sa kalayaan ng ating bansa (For me, Ninoy Aquino is na icon of change and he bravely fought for our country’s freedom),” he said.
“Naaalala ko na umabot ng ilang oras ang prusisyon ng kanyang libing dahil maraming nagmamahal sa kanya at sa kanyang kabutihang loob para sa Pilipinas (His funeral procession lasted for hours because many people loved him and appreciated his love for the country),” he added.
Aaron Sabile, a 22-year-old campus journalist, agreed that the number of people who venerated Ninoy makes him one of the most influential Filipinos to date.
“I think Ninoy or their whole family has numerous devoted supporters until this day, which makes him one of the most influential people in our country,” he said.
How did they know Ninoy?
Most Filipinos today first learned about Ninoy during their elementary school days— that his death ignited the flame inside the Filipinos' hearts and moved them to launch the EDSA People Power Revolution in 1986.
The same goes for Espino and Sabile. Espino said he was taught that Ninoy was a political prisoner during the martial law and about how he was assassinated when he stepped out of an airplane.
For his part, Sabile said his school “only showed the basic background of Ninoy's life and all the positive things he has done for our country.”
Meanwhile, Leonardo said she first became acquainted with Ninoy through television, as she grew up in a household where it was continuously on. “Honestly, I can barely recount a moment when our school taught about Ninoy in an in-depth manner,” she confessed.
“My knowledge of him has primarily been limited to his assassination and his pivotal role as a key figure of the opposition who ignited the People Power Revolution,” she added.
Lessons from Ninoy
For Sabile, through Ninoy, his generation can learn to have an “impregnable heart and unbeatable spirit when serving our country for the greater good.”
Espino thought Ninoy’s legacy would inspire his generation to not be afraid to speak their minds.
“Ang matututunan ng generation ngayon kay Ninoy Aquino ay ang pagiging matapang sa paglalahad ng kanilang mga ipinaglalaban sa kahit na anong paraan, boses man o pagsulat (My generation can learn from Ninoy to be brave in standing for their beliefs whether verbally or through writing),” he said.
Meanwhile, Leonardo said her biggest takeaway from Ninoy’s story is that people always have the choice to stand up for what is right, whether it is for personal gain or the sake of many.
“However, being that person takes real guts because challenging power often entails repercussions, as proven by our history—but at the end of the day, being that person is also what gives other people hope,” she said.
Significance of Ninoy’s death
Ninoy’s life and legacy continue to be remembered today especially every Aug. 21, the date of his demise, as it was declared a special nonworking day under Republic Act (RA) No. 9256.
This year, however, the observance of Ninoy Aquino Day was moved to Aug. 23, Friday, from its intended date which fell on a Wednesday. The move, made through Proclamation No. 665, aims to promote holiday economics or encourage local tourism. However, President Marcos Jr. emphasized in the proclamation that the historical significance of the event should be maintained.
According to Ninoy’s family, moving the day meant to commemorate his death does not change what he did for the country.
"Moving a day of commemoration will not diminish the fact that Ninoy died fighting for the country and the people he so loved and his death sparked a revolution that ended authoritarian rule," they said.
Marcoses and the Aquinos
In 2023, Marcos surprised the public when he, in an official message, urged Filipinos to transcend beyond political barriers and take inspiration from Aquino.
"In our resolute quest for a more united and prosperous Philippines, let us transcend political barriers that hamper us from securing the comprehensive welfare and advancement of our beloved people," he had said.
"Let us imbue ourselves with clarity of mind and unity in purpose so we can proceed towards a future that resonates with our hopes and dreams," he added.
The President recognized Aquino, his father's staunchest critic, as an icon of relentlessness and resolve.
"By standing for his beliefs and fighting for battles he deemed right, he became an example of relentlessness and resolve for many Filipinos," he said.
In an interview last month, President Marcos said his family and the Aquinos, despite being known as political rivals, have always been “okay” beyond politics. This was shown by the recent visit of the sons of TV personality Kris Aquino to First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
"We've always been okay. We just don't agree politically," he said.
"I think it was a very fine gesture on the part of the Aquino family. I think it was — it sort of I suppose put a little more — how do you say — personal, a human interaction between our families," he added.
The Marcoses and the Aquinos are families known to be political rivals. Ninoy was one of the first to be arrested and imprisoned for trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms, and subversion when martial law was declared. He was allowed to run in the 1978 elections.
After suffering two heart attacks in 1980, the Aquino family, as arranged by the former First Lady Imelda Marcos, flew to the US for his procedure. However, he was assassinated upon his return to the country in 1983. This led to the People Power Revolution in 1986 which installed Aquino's wife, Corazon Aquino, as the new president.
Despite this, President Marcos and TV personality Kris Aquino, the youngest among Ninoy’s five children, were known to have a friendly relationship. Kris Aquino even interviewed Bongbong Marcos live on TV in 1995 where the two exchanged friendly banters.
In the said interview, Marcos said he had no ill feelings toward the Aquinos despite the events in 1986. Aquino acknowledged how former First Lady Imelda Marcos helped her father get treatment when he had a heart attack in 1980.