'The queen we never had'

By Evelyn Macairan (The Philippine Star) Updated August 06, 2009 12:00 AM

People march alongside a truck carrying the casket of former President Corazon Aquino as the funeral motorcade passes Rizal Park in Manila yesterday. Edd Gumban

MANILA, Philippines – Massive crowds lined the streets, often in the rain, the whole day yesterday, strewing confetti and chanting, “Cory, Cory!” as they bade goodbye to former President Corazon Aquino.

She was the queen the country never had, Fr. Catalino Arevalo said in his homily during the requiem Mass attended by thousands of people who gathered to express their sympathy and gratitude to the Aquino family for sharing their mother with the nation.

“The children never had their father and mother. They have always shared them with the people, but because the blood of Cory and Ninoy (former senator Benigno Aquino Jr.) flows in them, they have their grace. To the family, thank you. The people would forever be in your debt,” Arevalo said.

Mrs. Aquino, who died at the age of 76 at the weekend after a long battle with colon cancer, was buried 10 hours later at the family mausoleum at the Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque after a long funeral procession witnessed by hundreds of thousands of people who lined the route of the funeral cortege.

“She always made the Filipino people proud. The late Manila Archbishop Jaime Cardinal Sin said that ‘what a great gift God gave to the people, when she gave Cory to us,’” he said.

Arevalo said Mrs. Aquino’s three daughters – Ballsy, Pinky and Viel – highlighted their mother’s selflessness in loving the country over her family, her faith in God, courage and abiding loyalty.

He said the two other children, Kris Aquino-Yap and Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, could always speak for themselves, being celebrities in their own right.

“Oftentimes, it has been said that Mrs. Aquino said that she could not complain on how her life turned out,” he said.

“She was a housewife who became president, a woman who defeated a long-time dictator by leading the people through a peaceful revolt,” Arevalo said.

Bataan Bishop Socrates Villegas made the final commendation to the former president during the two-hour requiem Mass.

“Tita Cory, I know you can hear me. You have to go now. God has called you back home. We who are still here on earth are not ready to say goodbye. We will never meet a woman as great as you for a very long time. We will miss you. We accept it. You are not ours. You are God’s. It is the truth but it hurts us deeply,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino is now free of the burden of taking care of the country after restoring democracy.

“The battle is over, the victory is won. You are now truly free! You are now fully happy! Move on to heaven and be with your beloved Ninoy, forever. Heaven is where the two of you will die no longer. Harvest the rich fruits of your toil on earth,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino “died three times” for the country.

She died when she had to give up her private life for the sake of her husband, Villegas said.

“She died when she was forced to become the opposition candidate in the 1986 snap elections. She died again when she became president from 1986 to 1992,” he said.

Villegas said Mrs. Aquino dies every time that the people call on her to leave her retirement whenever there were threats against democracy. “We promise to love this country as you loved us. There is darkness in our land but you have shared with us your fire,” Villegas said.

Villegas described Mrs. Aquino as a woman who was “born to wealth and plenty but you lived in simplicity and humbly carried our painful misery.”