In Honor of My Father and Mother
Privilege Speech
Senator Benigno S. Aquino III

Two days from now, we will commemorate the 26th anniversary of the assassination of my father, Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Recalling that traumatic day in August 1983, I find a stream of memories running through my head.

Our family's worst fears had come to pass and, in the face of unfathomable grief, shock and muted anger, we could only find solace in prayer. We hurriedly flew home from Boston, not knowing what to expect. Like my father, we wondered if our people would still welcome us after three years of exile in the United States.

The answer did not come immediately. It dawned on us with each passing hour as Filipinos--young and old, rich and poor--came in seemingly endless streams to pay their respects to my father, first at our home on Times Street and then at Santo Domingo Church. When hundreds of thousands marched with us to his grave, all doubt was erased from my mind.

Hindi po nagkamali ang aking ama: the Filipino is worth dying for. Kinilala nila ang kanyang sakripisyo at sinuklian nila ito ng kanilang paggalang at ng kanilang pagmamalasakit sa kanya, sa aming pamilya at sa ating bayan. Mula sa pagmumulat na ito'y umusbong ang People Power na siyang pumalis sa diktadurya at kumarga sa aking inang si Corazon Aquino sa pagka-Pangulo.

There followed the period of rebuilding our democracy which, while difficult, constituted some of our finest moments as a nation. We witnessed multiple sectors coming together to help uplift the lives of our marginalized countrymen and to infuse new vigor to our institutions of accountable governance and public service.

Unfortunately, anti-democratic forces bent on destroying the Cory Aquino administration decimated much of those gains and polarized our society anew. In stepping down from the Presidency in June 1992, my mother effected the first constitutional transfer of power in two decades and passed on the unfinished task of rehabilitating our democratic institutions to President Fidel V. Ramos and to successive administrations.

Citizen Cory cheerfully returned to private life, content with doting on her grandchildren and chipping in to the cause of people empowerment and good governance until she passed away on the first of this month.

In scenes highly reminiscent of August 1983, hundreds of thousands of our fellow Filipinos paid homage to my mother at La Salle Greenhills, the Manila Cathedral, and all throughout the route of the funeral cortege. So many thousands more from all over the world honored her through the mass media, on their mobile phones and on the internet.

Sa lahat po ng nagbigay pugay sa aking mahal na ina at nakiramay sa aming pamilya, nais ko pong magpasalamat muli. Tunay pong nakalalambot ng puso ang pagmamahal na pinadama ninyo sa kanya at sa aming lahat nitong nakaraang dalawang linggo.

Some observers of this massive outpouring of affection, respect and gratitude for my mother saw this as proof that the so-called "Cory magic" continues to be a vibrant force. As Cory Aquino's son, I find this thought quite flattering but, perhaps, it is missing the point. To my mother, all her years in public service as President and as Citizen Cory were never about her--it was always about bringing power--and self-worth--back to the people.

Not too long after my mother was sworn into office in February 1986, she confided to us that many people seemed to be expecting her to solve all the problems of our country with all the power vested in the Presidency. In fact, some prodded her to extend her revolutionary government so that she could initiate the radical reforms necessary to purge the government machinery and statute books of every residue of the dictatorship.

After all, on the strength of People Power, my mother could wield absolute authority to change or enforce virtually anything she wanted at the outset. Instead, she quickly convened a group of men and women of known probity, independence and broad knowledge to craft a Freedom Constitution as the first vital step toward democratic restoration.

Whatever shortcomings my mother might have had as President, I can say with pride that she restored integrity, accountability and genuine compassion in the highest levels of government. And I would like to think that, in paying tribute to her these past three weeks, our people recognized these alongside her personal sacrifices to win back our democracy.

Ngunit upang tunay na parangalan ang ala-ala at sakripisyo ng aking ina--at pati na rin ng aking ama--marahil ay mas karapat-dapat nating tanungin sa ating sarili kung naging tapat tayo sa kanilang mga pinaglaban. Tinututulan ba natin, halimbawa, ang paglaganap muli ng katiwalian sa pamahalaan--o kontento na ba tayong magbulag-bulagan? Naa-alarma ba tayo sa patuloy na pagpaslang at pagkawala ng mga mamamahayag at ng mga tagapagtanggol ng mga api? Pahihintulutan ba natin ang garapal na mga tangkang palitan ang ating Saligang Batas para sa mga huwad na layunin? Ok lang ba sa ating tratuhin tayong para bang mga batang musmos na kayang-kayang tuksuhin at kutyain ng mga tagapaglingkod na ating hinalal?

Distinguished colleagues in the Senate, ladies and gentlemen, Ninoy and Cory Aquino would not have tolerated such arrogance of power and such disdain for the governed.

If we lapse into indifference, cynicism and despair, we may yet allow history to repeat itself. Ironically, dictatorships breed well under such desperate conditions, when people become only too willing to mortgage their freedoms for the promise of discipline and prosperity under an iron hand. If that were to happen, then all that my beloved parents--and we--have fought for would have been all for naught.

But I am confident that such a dire scenario would never come to pass. Looking into the eyes of those who queued for hours just to be able to pay their last respects to my mother, I could sense that they were longing for change--change they could be a part of. Most of those who flashed the Laban sign as the funeral cortege passed by were too young to have known my father and to remember enough of my mother. Yet, instinctively or perhaps with some counsel from their elders, they seemed to value the basic goodness that my mother represented in their eyes and were only too willing to make the sacrifices that would bring that cherished ideal to life.

In honoring my parents, therefore, I pay tribute to the Filipino people.

What I have experienced these past 19 days has strengthened my faith in our fellow Filipinos and in my hope for our motherland. My sisters and I are truly grateful to our people for all the love and support they continue to give us. To those who even prod us to continue the work of our parents by seeking higher office, we can only offer in reply our parents gentle reminder that the destiny of our country cannot be shaped by one family alone.

Of all the things that I have learned from my father and mother, what I value most is the virtue of humility in the eyes of our Creator. Time and again, both of them have taught us that, by ourselves as individuals, we can only do so much. But when we harness our collective courage, strength and compassion we can be a great nation, a great people. We could see glimpses of this latent greatness in the manifestations of self-discipline, mutual respect and genuine caring that were so abundant during the first week of this month.

Napatunayan pong muli na wasto ang pananalig ng aking ama't ina sa Sambayanang Pilipino. Inihandog nila ang kanilang buhay upang mabigyan ang kanilang mga kababayan ng pagkakataong mamuhay sa isang bansang malaya at puno ng pagkakataon upang sila'y umunlad.

Ngunit ang atin pong demokrasya ay hindi lamang isang regalong basta lamang tinatanggap. Ito po'y kailangan nating bantayan at alagaan araw-araw.

Bilang pagpugay kay Ninoy at Cory Aquino sa ika-21 ng Agosto, nararapat marahil na tanungin natin sa ating sarili: Sapat ba ang ating ginagawa bilang mga mamamayan upang patibayin ang mga haligi at pasiglahin ang mga institusyon ng ating demokrasya?

Ito po ang patuloy na Laban ni Ninoy, ni Cory, at nating lahat. At sa Labang ito, asahan ninyo na, kailan man, ay hindi kayo nag-iisa!

Mabuhay ang Sambayanang Pilipino!

Maraming, maraming salamat po!