YELLOW ribbons, a noise barrage, and a Mass comprised UST’s tribute to former president Corazon “Cory” Aquino as the Thomasian community joined the world in mourning the death of the democracy icon.
The Central Student Council (CSC) on August 1, the day of Aquino’s death, asked Thomasian students to wear yellow ribbons until August 10 to honor the “well-lived life” of the first woman president of the country.
A noise barrage was also held, bringing thousands of Thomasians wearing Aquino’s— and the University’s— trademark yellow color to the Manila Cathedral where a Mass headed by Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal and concelebrated by more than 20 other priests, including UST Rector Fr. Rolando de la Rosa, O.P., was held in Aquino’s honor. CSC put the number of Thomasian participants between 6,000 and 8,000.
Earlier, the Philippine Daily Inquirer published an opinion piece by De la Rosa, Cory Major Semper. He wrote, “Cory will always be greater than the world’s idea of her.”
“I hope her name will not be turned into a mere slogan mouthed by politicians or activists in support of dubious and self-serving causes,” he added. (See complete text).
CSC president Jeanne Luz Castillo said the younger generations are grateful to Aquino for restoring the liberties they are enjoying now.
“Our generation [are feeling] the after-effects of the things she (Aquino) had done,” she said. “We should not need another Cory because if we look for another like her, then it somehow means that she has not been successful.”
Faculty of Arts and Letters Dean Armando de Jesus said despite her going, Aquino’s legacy will remain.
“She will be immortalized,” said Vice Rector for Religious Affairs Fr. Filemon Cruz, O.P. “We may have lost her, but we [always] have an icon to go back to.”
College of Education Dean Clotilde Arcangel agreed, calling on students to make Aquino’s death an occasion to review her achievements.
“It does not mean that if it did not happen in your (student’s) time, it is not relevant,” Clotilde said. “People must continue the work that she had started.”
For her part, Maria Cecilia Cruz, Student Organizations Coordinating Council president, said, “Corazon Aquino is a loss for our country as she advocated democracy, freedom, peace, integrity and women’s empowerment.”
With the country’s political crisis, Cruz said the country needs somebody like Aquino, “someone that will wake us up and an advocate for change.”
Short?
But John Louie Sarrondo, a Hotel and Restaurant Management sophomore, said not all Thomasians were given yellow ribbons, making the sympathy only “partly felt.”
CSC public relations officer Margielyn Asilo said the distribution was hampered by lack of funds.
She also explained that participation in the sympathy campaign was “voluntary.”
Nevertheless, Thomasians who went to the Manila Cathedral believed UST made its presence felt and became one with the country for Aquino.
“With the campaign to wear yellow ribbons, I believe that UST has shown its support behind the Aquino family,” Jillian Calaguing, first-year Pharmacy student, said.
“The activities and prayers for Madam Cory and the effort of some organizations, like the distribution of yellow ribbons, does show that UST mourns for Cory,” said Jerson Contreras, a second-year Biology student.
Epitome of faith
Thomasian whistle-blower Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada, behind whom Aquino had stood during the multi-million dollar government telecoms scandal, recalled the former president’s advice.
“She told me that, ‘in a struggle like this, you need a lot of faith. If the opposite of fear is courage, in this battle, the opposite of fear is faith, because you need a huge amount of devotion to God to defeat these kinds of people,’” he told the Varsitarian.
Lozada said Aquino explained to him the trials and tribulations he must conquer in revealing details about the botched $329-million National Broadband Network deal between the government and Chinese firm ZTE.
“She always tells me, ‘Jun at the end of all this, they will be defeated,’” he said. “‘Time will come in our lives who people seem to forget us, that every thing that we did and sacrificed [will] seem to be worthless; time will come that in our lives, our friends seem to disappear. When that time comes, that is the time you should hold on as a family, and hold on to your faith the most.’”
