Ninoy, Cory exchange vows

MANILA, Philippines - In 1986, when Cory was not yet President, my dear friend Conchitina Sevilla Bernardo graciously lent me wedding photos of Ninoy and Cory Aquino. These were to be returned after use but, unfortunately, were misplaced in the mound of materials I constantly received then – and still do.

Recently, after Cory’s funeral, the photos miraculously re-appeared from nowhere (through Cory’s intervention?) so here they are being reprinted, with memories of the iconic martyrs forever remaining fresh in the minds of their countless admirers.

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When STAR founding chairman Betty Go-Belmonte headed the Sigma Delta Phi Sorority Alumnae Association, Cory Aquino, who was not yet president, occasionally attended its meetings. Civic leader Georgitta “Beng” Puyat, an active Sigma Deltan, organized many of the sorority gatherings and in one of these, she met Cory for the first time. 

“What will make you run for president?” Cory was asked. “A million signatures,” she replied. Chino Roces gathered those signatures. Cory ran and won.

After she had just stepped down as President, she was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Zonta International Conference in Hong Kong in 1992, during which she was made a Zonta International honorary member – the first Asian to be conferred the honor.

At that convention, Beng again met Cory who, Beng recalled, greeted her like a dear, old friend. Beng quickly requested Cory’s appointments secretary Marge Juico to take a photo of her and Cory. When Beng asked if Cory could kindly autograph the photo, Cory, on seeing it, asked for a copy, saying without any self-consciousness, “I look beautiful in it!”