Ninoy Aquino Day (Assassination video here)

Ninoy Aquino Day is a national non-working holiday in the Philippines observed annually on August 21, commemorating the anniversary of the 1983 assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr.. He was the husband of Corazon Cojunagco Aquino, who was later to become Philippine President; both are treated as two of the heroes of democracy in the country. His assassination led to the downfall of the Dictator Ferdinand Edralin Marcos on February 25, 1986, through the People Power Revolution.

Unlike other dates reserved for national heroes of the Philippines (like Bonifacio Day, Rizal Day, Araw ng Kagitingan, and National Heroes Day), the date is not a “regular holiday” but only a “non-working holiday”. (Wikipedia)

History

Aquino was a well-known opposition figure and critic of the then-President Ferdinand Marcos. Due to his beliefs, he was later imprisoned for about eight years after martial law was declared in the country. Even in his imprisonment, he sought a parliamentary seat for Metro Manila in the Interim Batasang Pambansa, under the banner of the Lakas ng Bayan (LABAN). He eventually led in the opinion polls and was initially leading the electoral count but eventually lost to the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) slate led by First Lady Imelda Marcos. Aquino remained in prison but continued to fight for democracy in the country and against the oppression of the Filipino people. After suffering from a heart attack in March 1980, he and his family moved to the United States for medical treatment, eventually leading to his self-imposed exile for about three years. There, he continued his advocacy by giving speeches to the Filipino-American communities.^[1] Later, he planned to return to the islands to challenge Marcos for the parliamentary elections in 1984. Though some did not feel this was a good idea, he still did so in 1983. Upon returning to the Philippines at the Manila International Airport (now renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport in his honor), he was shot and died on August 21, 1983 as he was escorted off an airplane by security personnel. This led to several protests at his funeral that sparked snap presidential elections in 1986, which led to the 1986 EDSA Revolution, catapulting his wife, Cory Aquino, to the presidency.

Actual Video of Aquino’s assassination

   

 

Remembering EDSA 1: February 22-25, 1986

For those asking if February 25, 2013 is a holiday, YES, it’s a national holiday. But whether you’ll be sad or happy depends on whether you’re still in school. While EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary is a national holiday, it’s only for schools. It means no classes for students. It also means it’s a regular working day if you’re no longer a student. Gone are the days when February 25 was a national holiday for all.

What was the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution (EDSA 1) all about?

EDSA in 1986 was a nationwide civil uprising against then dictator President Ferdinand E. Marcos, with President Corazon “Cory” Aquino succeeding in a revolutionary government.

EDSA 1 is extra-constitutional. EDSA 1 involves the “exercise of the people power of revolution which overthrew the whole government”. The Aquino government was the result of a successful revolution (although a peaceful one) by the sovereign people. No less than the Freedom Constitution (Proclamation No. 3) declared that the Aquino government was installed through a direct exercise of the power of the Filipino people “in defiance of the provisions of the 1973 Constitution, as amended.

The original People Power, the one which inspired the whole world and became a model for peaceful transitions of governments, was the culmination of the years of protest against the government of President Ferdinand Marcos.

The protests were already existing before September 21, 1972, the date when President Marcos declared Martial Law throughout the Philippines. Many people died as a result of the abuses by the military. Many opposition personalities were arrested. One of those arrested was Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. Ninoy became a unifying force of the people’s opposition against Marcos.

Ninoy was allowed to be released from jail to undergo a heart bypass in the United States. He was warned not to go back to the Philippines. Ninoy was assasinated on August 21, 1983, as he was going down the plane upon his return to the Philippines. Instead of diffusing the mounting unrest against Marcos, the assasination of Ninoy only served to add more fuel to the highly combustible and raw emotions against Marcos.

To put some semblance of legitimacy to his government, President Marcos called for a snap election in February 1986. His opponent in the elections was a simple housewife with no government experience. The opposition Presidential candidate goes by the name of Corazon “Cory” Aquino, the wife of Ninoy. Some say the 1986 Presidential election was the most corrupt and deceitful election in Philippine history.

On February 15, 1986, the Batasang Pambansa declared Marcos as the winner, with 10,807,197 votes as against Aquino’s 9,291,761. The rest of the country, however, was convinced that massive cheating marred the elections. The tally of the accredited poll watcher, the National Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), was 7,835,070 votes for Cory and 7,053,068 votes for Marcos.

On February 22, 1986, a group of renegade soldiers led by Juan Ponce Enrile, then Defense Minister, and Lt. Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, then Vice-Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, made a public declaration that they are withdrawing support from the government. They holed up at Camp Aguinaldo, along EDSA. Knowing that they will be annihilated by the superior forces of Marcos. Minister Enrile and Gen. Ramos called for the people’s help.

The late Jaime Cardinal Sin, then Catholic Archbishop of Manila, aired his appeal through Radio Veritas, for the people to support Gen. Ramos and Enrile.

And help they came. By the thousands, and towards the end, an estimated 6 million were on the streets.

Between February 22 to February 25, the people flocked to EDSA, facing tanks with nothing but prayers. They offered flowers and food to the battle-equipped government soldiers. Helicopters and fighter planes flew overhead. The people, though scared, stood their ground.

President Marcos left Malacanang on February 25, heading for Hawaii.

And so the world witnessed the People Power.

“The Filipino is worth dying for.”

by Ninoy Aquino
a Philippine Hero

Original posting here

 

2013 RP Holidays declared by Malacanang

President Noynoy Aquino issues Proclamation No. 459, s. 2012 declaring the following 2013 Regular and Special Non-working Holidays &
Special Holidays (for schools only).

A. Regular Holidays
New Year’s Day Maundy Thursday Good Friday Araw ng Kagitingan	January 1 (Tuesday) March 28 March 29 April 9 (Tuesday)
Labor Day Independence Day National Heroes Day Bonifacio Day Christmas Day Rizal Day	May 1 (Wednesday) June 12 (Wednesday) August 26 (Last Monday of August) November 30 (Saturday) December 25 (Wednesday) December 30 (Monday)
B. Special (Non-Working) Days
Black Saturday Ninoy Aquino Day All Saints Day Additional special (non-working) days – Last Day of the Year	March 30 August 21 (Wednesday) November 1 (Friday) November 2 (Saturday) December 24 (Tuesday) December 31 (Tuesday)
C. Special Holiday (for all schools)
EDSA Revolution Anniversary	February 25 (Monday)

Full Proclamation text here

 

PNoy to promote Ph as tourist / business hub

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific Cristina Ortega, said the President is expected to promote the Philippines as a business destination, as the government aims to raise up to $60 billion in investments from China until 2016. The government is also eyeing at least two million tourists from China by 2016. Ortega said $1.5 billion to $2 billion in investments had already been firmed up under the five-year trade and economic development plan between the Philippines and China until 2016.

“That would be included in the five-year plan. Just like we are hoping that there will be ($60 billion in investments) by 2016. So that is the target. We always have targets and we won’t have this target if it would not be possible. We will work hard but I think it could be done,” Ortega said.

She said 200 to 250 business people from the Philippines would be joining the President to explore opportunities in Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen. “We have a luncheon with the Chinese economic policy makers, policy banks and regulators with the President. Following that, we will have one-on-one meetings with individual Chinese businessmen. These businessmen are those that are really interested in doing business in the Philippines and hopefully most of them would be engaged in the PPP (Public Private Partnership) projects that we are offering,” Ortega said.

She said the President would likewise meet with the Filipino communities in China but would not likely make a pitch for Filipinos in detention, although an agreement on the transfer of sentenced persons was being worked out as well as stronger cooperation against human trafficking and drug smuggling. The President said he would also bring up the shelved NorthRail project with Beijing. “We’re hoping that we will move forward on the NorthRail and other issues,” Aquino told reporters in an ambush interview after welcoming the BRP Gregorio del Pilar at Pier 15, South Harbor in Manila on Tuesday.

The 80-kilometer railroad, a flagship program of the Arroyo administration, will link the northern flank of Metro Manila with the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport at the Clark free port in Pampanga. From an original budget of $421 million, the NorthRail project cost has now gone up to $621 million. The DOTC earlier suspended the contract for the NorthRail project with Sinomach (formerly China National Machinery and Equipment Corp.) due to its slow progress and cost overruns.

By Aurea Calica and Pia Lee-Brago
August 25, 2011 12:00 AM

 

P’Noy declares long weekend

Filipinos can enjoy a long weekend at the end of this month after two consecutive holidays were declared by President Noynoy Aquino.

Malacañang yesterday declared as regular holiday Aug. 30 (Tuesday), as provided for in Republic Act 9177, popularly known in the Muslim community as Eid’l Fitr or the feast of Ramadan. Eid’l Fitr is celebrated by the Muslim world for three days after the end of the month of fasting. It has been declared by the Aquino administration as a regular holiday throughout the country.

Prior to the declaration of Aug. 30 as a regular holiday, Aug. 29, which falls on a Monday, the first working day of the week, has been declared as National Heroes’ Day and is thus also considered a regular holiday.

Work and classes will resume on Aug. 31.

In declaring Eid’l Fitr, Aquino issued Proclamation 234 which promotes “cultural understanding and integration” to enable Filipinos to “join their Muslim brothers and sisters” in the observance and celebration of the feast of Ramadan.

“In order to bring the religious and cultural significance of Eid’l Fitr to the fore of national consciousness, it is necessary to declare Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2011, as a regular holiday throughout the country,” a portion of the proclamation read.