MY GIFT FROM TITA CORY

It was ironic that my last blog last June 28, 2009 was to bid goodbye to a loved one and my return from hiatus today to bid farewell to one of my most favorite persons ever to live. The late President CORAZON AQUINO. I am officially ending my mourning today, as a fitting tribute to our icon of Democracy as I wouldn’t have the same opportunity again in the future.

TITA CORY, as she was fondly called had a similar first name with that of my own “mom” and had quite facial resemblances as well. My mom had her own “BEN” as a husband though not with a first name BENIGNO, and a daughter named CRIS, but not with a K. Just like TITA CORY, my “mom” lost her husband 18 years ago and had to raise a family by herself. The similarities are endless, but maybe most notable of which is my mom, just like TITA CORY is sick of cancer, but coping, fighting very well.

Before I proceed, let me explain that I opted to address President AQUINO with TITA CORY because while I unfortunately was not privileged to meet her in person, I always felt a connection with her like she was relative, a mother, an aunt. In our culture, Filipinos are adept on calling people they are not related with by addressing them as “titos” and “titas” to signify the desire to belong. This is exactly what I feel of TITA CORY for who would not want to be related to a lady like her. She had a very warm and sincere smile, that which you could hardly find among government officials nowadays. And while coming from a very rich family, she was very simple and down-to-earth, again, virtues which are foreign to rich politicians, or trying hard to be rich, young politicos at present. They say that in most cases, the sincerity and goodness of person is seen on the face, for certainly pure thoughts and hormones from the inside get emitted and easily reflect on the outside. The said concept best applies to TITA CORY. But lest we mistake on thinking of her as being soft, she too was testament to the toughness of the Filipina. Calm under pressure, but with nerves of steel.

More than the loss, TITA CORY’s death served as a reminder to me of the bounties I’ve received due to her hardwork. I certainly wouldn’t be able to enjoy writing now, that is to speak my heart out on just about anything, had it not for her contribution to the redemption of freedom from twenty one years of dictatorship. In my very young years, I remembered of instances when my mother had to stay late at night until the early hours of the morning the following day because she had to wait for my father who didn’t come home that night without notice. My father, with his desire to earn a little bit more just happened to be caught by the curfew on his way home. As a penalty for such, my father had to join others similarly situated in doing chores in Camp Aguinaldo before they are allowed to go home. Without any cellphones and landlines then, you can just imagine the pains and stress of a wife waiting for a husband without any idea why he was not home yet.

Due to the leadership offered by TITA CORY in the now historically famous People Power, lesser wives now have to endure the painful process of waiting for husbands who have been herded to clean in the military camps. The restoration of freedom is without doubt her greatest contribution to society. While a lot of the supposed great minds claim that her six-year term as President did not do much to improve the lives of the Filipinos, the fact that they were able to give such opinion without having to go to jail or persecuted for doing such is a matter they should be thankful for.

As a debt of gratitude, I commit to TITA CORY that I would help keep the fire burning in so far as protecting and nurturing the freedom that she helped restore. I promise to keep the keys of my laptop active in sharing my thoughts and opinions in issues that concern our countrymen. Finally, I promise to keep her in my heart by loving my mom even more, for mothers are but one, they can never be replaced. They only pass our lifetime but once. Thanks TITA CORY. My gratitude and admiration of you is infinite.