Her memory lives on

Manuel Pangilinan, then a Hongkong-based Filipino executive who was starting to make a name in the international business arena as managing director of the First Pacific Group, first met President Cory Aquino in 1986 when his group paid a courtesy call on the President in Malacanang.

At that time, MVP recalled that they only had two brands, Dial soap and Scott paper. At First Pacific, he was joined by two other Filipinos Ricardo Pascua and Vic Tinsay and an American, Robert Meyer, as executive directors.

According to one report, in 1986, four Philippine companies were brought into the First Pacific fold: Berli Jucker Industries, a producer of cosmetic products; Berli Jucker Philippines, the marketing network of cosmetic products; Holland Pacific Paper, the producer and distributor of Scott Paper products; and Tanduay Distillery, one of the top Philippine beverage producers.

With the color yellow as the symbol of the EDSA People Power revolution, a color which has become Mrs. Aquino’s trademark, MVP’s group scouted for a gift for the President, and found two antique imperial yellow tea cups.

The President, MVP said, struck him as a very nice lady and one with integrity.

But the most endearing characteristic of the former President which MVP remembers to this date is her being “very human.”

Expecting the first question from the President to be about business, MVP was surprised when Mrs. Aquino asked her what route they took going to Malacanang. Sensing his uneasiness with the question, not being prepared for it, Mrs. Aquino quickly clarified that the purpose for her asking is that they might have seen the dilapidated barracks of the Presidential Security Group if they passed Nagtahan. She could have asked for anything, but all she asked from MVP’s group was for them to help improve the PSG barracks. To date, the PLDT Foundation has built four barracks for the PSG.

Not everyone knew President Aquino and was known by her on a personal or even professional level.

But thousands of people came to La Salle Greenhills to see her for the last time, braving the heat, rains, long lines, and many hours of waiting for probably a few seconds of getting a glimpse at her remains.

Thousands cried as they watched the President’s youngest daughter Kris narrate her final moments with her Mom. Many joined her anger over the recall of Mrs. Aquino’s two bodyguards who have been with her since 1986. Many did not believe Malacanang’s excuse that it had nothing to do with it, when in fact, the PSG was directly under it. Many sighed with relief as Kris accepted the condolences of the Marcoses, when Rex Robles of the Young Officers’ Union (YOU) which staged several coup attempts against the President said sorry and pointed out that Mrs. Aquino was a “strong” lady where it mattered.

Thousands lined up the streets when her remains were transferred to the Manila Cathedral, flashing the Laban sign and singing the signature songs of the People Power revolution. Even small children joined the crowd.

People related to her in a very personal way. Even media owed its existence, its freedom, to her.

Mrs. Aquino was a significant part of each and everyone of us. She was the symbol of democracy, which some of us take for granted. But those who remembered how it was to live under a dictatorship treasured our new found democracy. Mrs. Aquino symbolized hope for change. And that symbol is gone.

But her memory lives on. And now, it is up to each and everyone of us to keep her and the ideals that she fought for close to hearts.

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