RIP Former President Cory Aquino

i slept at my friend's house and i woke up at 9am...my friend is already awake and she was watching TV with her mom and the reporter from the TV was talking about the details about Cory Aquino's wake.

"Patay na si Cory?" i asked, surprised while i followed my friend to the dining area.

"Oo," she answered, "kaninang 3:18am..."

the event didn't come as surprising (well, i was surprised because i didn't expect to happen now, but maybe i will never expect it to happen anytime) since she's been battling against Colon Cancer ever since last year (there are already several personalities here in the Philippines that had died because of Cancer and the most recent that i could remember are Rudy Fernandez and Francis Magalona). despite having progress and was able to be released from the hospital, she was once again brought back in and was said to be confined for an undefinite time, so i know that it will come soon (add to that is Kris Aquino's - her daughter who is a talkshow host/actress - absence from all of her shows).

obviously, the Philippines is mourning today and will be mourning tomorrow or so. i mean, people all over the country have been organizing various prayer mass for Cory Aquino's speedy recovery ever since she was diagnosed with Colon Cancer. besides, Cory Aquino is a very important person in our society. even though she's no longer the president of the country (ever since 1992), every word she says still weighs tremendous amount of importance and her opinions are always asked during the height of various political issues.

she was an awesome woman. i may not be born during the time when she led EDSA People Power back in 1986 to witness how she ousted the dictator rule of former President Ferdinand Marcos, but her every appearance in the media being interviewed because of various political controversies is enough to make me learn that she is a well respected woman in our country. and i bet, Cory Aquino is the only woman or president that the Filipinos respected this much.

she restored democracy to the Philippines - something that the present and future youths will forever be thankful of. i mean, children born after the reign of Marcos never had a chance to experience his dictatorship and his Martial Law. but of course, each and every Filipino is thankful for that democracy.

she became an inspiration and model not only to the Philippines but also to the whole world. the 1986 EDSA People Power became an instrument to other countries to sought freedom and democracy from the authoritarian, dictorship and communism rule they are under. leaders all over the world were also inspired by her and they highly respect her. women all over the world especially to countries where women are treated with not-so-much importance compared to men admired her strength especially when Cory Aquino's husband, Ninoy Aquino, was assassinated in 1983. when she became the Philippines' first female president, women from other countries also began to sought for the highest political position there is in their country, already believing that they can also lead their own country.

isn't awesome? that as a quiet housewife, she was able to create such a huge impact all over the world?

her death will be in the hearts of the Filipinos and her advocacy for freedom and democracy will be carried on - especially at this time when in just less that a year, the Philippines will again held their election in 2010. the Philippines is once again crying out for democracy, feeling that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo have robbed that off from everyone. maybe not all Filipinos look at Cory Aquino this highly (her regime was the period when various coup attempts occured and there are those who are against her because of her land reform law that she passed but is still not executed) but i'm sure that many of us, she is the Mother of the Philippine Democracy and now that she's dead, a lot of Filipinos would not allow anyone - even their current president who is also a woman - to deny them the democracy that Cory Aquino have strived for in order to give it to them...

thank you so much, former President Cory Aquino.

thank you for the sacrifices you have given our country...

thank you for the sacrifices you have given for us, Filipinos...

thank you for the freedom and the democracy...

thank you for everything...

may you rest in peace...

[picture from Time.com]