Former Quezon City Mayor Ismael A. Mathay, Jr. ‘50, former Isabela Province Governor Grace Padaca, and Atty. Adel Tamano discussed today at the UP College of Law the true meaning of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. ‘50‘s legacy of heroism and service, drawing from their experiences as exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions to nation-building and social service.

Mayor Mathay, who along with Sen. Aquino joined the Upsilon in the same year, recalled how Ninoy was a “fireball” of activity, being “always three steps ahead”. Gov. Padaca shared how Ninoy’s example served as inspiration for her crusade to reform her home province, while Atty. Tamano pointed out the relevance of Ninoy’s qualities to today’s youth.

Hosted by Bow Cua and Zoe Sandejas, Continue the Legacy: Be a Hero has been an Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) organized by the Upsilon in its continuing commemoration of Brod Ninoy ‘50’s life and martyrdom for democracy in the Philippines.

We remember, Brod Ninoy.

The Upsilon Sigma Phi joins the nation in remembering Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. ‘50‘s ultimate act of self-negation for the greater good of the Filipino when, 27 years ago from this day, he was martyred at the former Manila International Airport upon his return to the country.

A simple yet solemn and significant Memorial Mass in his honor was sponsored by the Upsilon at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman.

His legacy continues as on Wednesday, August 25, the Fraternity will sponsor a Leadership Conference open to all, from 1-4pm at the Malcolm Theater of the UP College of Law. Confirmed resource speakers are former QC Mayor Ismael Mathay ‘50, former Isabela Gov. Grace Padaca, and Atty. Adel Tamano. The three will work with participants to dissect the true meaning of Ninoy’s legacy of heroism and service, drawing from their experiences as exemplary leaders who have made significant contributions to nation-building and social service.

The Leadership Conference is creditable for UP Diliman students as an Alternative Classroom Learning Experience (ACLE) activity for that day. For more information, please RSVP on the Facebook event page.

“THE FILIPINO is worth dying for.”

This simple yet powerful statement, attributed to Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino Jr., is one of the most popular quotes in Philippine society. It is quoted by great statesmen in their speeches, it is reprinted on thousands of T-shirts. But in truth, Ninoy never said this, at least not verbatim.

The full text of this statement, which Ninoy delivered before the Asia Society on Aug. 4, 1980 in New York City, goes deeper than the oft-quoted truncated version implies.

The following is the full statement: “I have asked myself many times: Is the Filipino worth suffering, or even dying, for? Is he not a coward who would readily yield to any colonizer, be he foreign or homegrown? Is a Filipino more comfortable under an authoritarian leader because he does not want to be burdened with the freedom of choice? Is he unprepared, or worse, ill-suited for presidential or parliamentary democracy?

“I have carefully weighed the virtues and the faults of the Filipino and I have come to the conclusion that he is worth dying for because he is the nation’s greatest untapped resource.”

In its full form, Ninoy’s statement gains eloquence and a deeper meaning lacking from the six-word truncated version—it is no longer a mere one-liner espousing blind nationalism and sacrifice for heroism’s sake. In the full passage, Ninoy honestly considers the sobering doubts and limitations of the Filipino people, yet despite this his resolve wavers not; for Ninoy, despite all of the Filipino’s faults, the Filipino is worth dying for because he is the future of this nation.

As we again celebrate Ninoy’s legacy this Aug. 21, 2010, let us remember the wisdom of what he was really trying to say when he said “The Filipino is worth dying for.”

—AURELI C. SINSUAT,
Upsilon Sigma Phi,
University of the Philippines Diliman,
Quezon City

Inquirer Opinion/Letters to the Editor
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:11:00 08/19/2010

by Jose A.P. Ampeso*

To many Filipinos, Ninoy Aquino’s assassination in August of 1983 was a very tragic incident. The dreadful loss of his life was a supreme sacrifice that spelled the beginning of the end of Ferdinand Marcos’ hedonistic rule, indeed well beyond the bounds of democratic processes.

My personal view of Ninoy was that of an elderly though youthful, vibrant but well-grounded journalist-turned politician of post World War I vintage, among the several brilliant colleagues of his time. For sure, he was a new player on the bloc, one sort of in- a-hurry. From Governor of Tarlac in 1965, he was in 1967 elected as senator, the lone one from the opposition Liberal Party to survive the senatorial rout (7 pro-administration Nacionalista Party winners) in the Marcos administration part I. Indeed, he was making a catch-up with or against a shrewd and veteran political leader (then Pres. F. E. Marcos who was a proven scholar and bar topnotcher who suffered the rigors of World War II, and fought himself to the top of Philippine politics, having won the Philippine presidency twice)!

I belong to the Diliman batch 1968 of the Upsilon Sigma Phi – Asia’s oldest born and greatest known greek-lettered Fraternity, having been established in 1918 (just a decade after U.P.’s foundation). Fellows Ferdinand E. Marcos and Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. were among the more well-known Brods, having undergone initiations in 1937 and 1950, respectively.


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*Editor’s Note: The author is an member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi, UP’s University Students Fraternity. He joined the Upsilon in 1968, with Ninoy Aquino having joined earlier in 1950. This is an excerpt from his personal account of the author’s fraternal and personal association with Ninoy, especially up to his last days. It was originally written on July 20, 2002, and subsequently published in the book We Gather Light to Scatter: Ninety Years of Upsilon Sigma Phi.