(On what would have been his 66th birthday February 8, social media and even mainstream media teemed with posts greeting and remembering former President Benigno Aquino III who died June 24, 2021 at 61 years old. The posts harken back to the quality of governance, leadership—indeed the persona—that he espoused and apparently the country misses today. This is the FB post of Joanne Rae Ramirez, the editor in chief of People Asia.—Editor)
Happy birthday PNoy!
He was the much-awaited baby boy, coming into his parents’ lives when his father’s star was ascending fast in the Philippine political firmament. Benigno Simeon Aquino III was born at the Far Eastern University Hospital in Manila 66 years ago to Tarlac Vice Governor Benigno Simeon “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and his wife, the former Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco. He was the third child of the prominent Tarlac couple.
In 2010, Noynoy took on the torch lit by both his parents after he couldn’t ignore the clamor for him to run for president. “The clincher was when my ate (Ballsy Cruz) gave her blessings. She said, Noynoy, if you believe it is your duty, okay na kami…” he once told me. Noynoy said, “Hindi ko na i-aasa sa iba.” “Here is a golden opportunity to really transform this country. I can’t turn my back on this opportunity, otherwise I will have difficulty looking at myself in the mirror.”
His legacy includes his leadership in the pursuit of the legality of the Philippines’ claim to the part of the South China Sea known as the West Philippine Sea. According to an article in BusinessWorld The PNoy administration with 6.2% GDP growth was the best performer of the seven administrations.
Another remarkable fact is that while Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand showed a decline in average growth in the period 2011-2016 vs. 2005-2010, the Philippines under PNoy showed increase in growth over the same period. The Philippines also got investment-grade rating given by global debt watchers such as Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s in 2013, the first-ever such rating received by the Philippines. He passed away in 2021.
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