Remembering Tita Cory...

August 1, 2009. The Philippines mourned the passing of "The Mother of Democracy", former president Corazon C. Aquino. Better known as "Tita Cory", she is best remembered as one of the main figures of the historic People Power Revolution that toppled the Marcos regime. Emerging as the leader of the opposition, she ran for president (though that was not exactly what she initially wanted). Albeit, "losing" the 1986 snap elections, the revolution that eventually swept up the country would install her as the first female president in the country and in the South East Asia region as well.
From there, Tita Cory plowed through six tumultuous years of being president. From trying to bring the country back from a stagnant economy, seeing the country experience the most horrifying of calamities (1990 Baguio earthquake, 1991 Pinatubo eruption, Ormoc typhoon tragedy, MV Doña Paz tragedy), and of course, the seven coup-de-etat attempts against her administration.
Yet the so called housewife turned president faced them all. She never flinched. She never backed down. She never gave in to fear. And she did not hide under the bed when the bullets were flying.
After six years of presidency, Tita Cory did not attempt for a second term (unlike a midget i know). Sheesh. Being a private citizen, however, did not stop her from helping out Filipinos. She was there to serve as the shining light when democracy seemed to be threatened once again. Time and again, she was there for us.
In her passing, we mourn. Yet, we also celebrate her life. Tita Cory and her husband Ninoy gave themselves to the Filipino people. It was a sacrifice that they made for us. We would not have been be free from the clutches of tyranny if not for them. That in the generations to come, democracy, the thing most western countries just take for granted, would still endure in the Philippines.
Tita Cory... Paalam... Salamat sa inyo ni Ninoy.

I'd rather die a meaningful death than live a meaningless life. -President Corazon C. Aquino