Benigno Ninoy Aquino Monument in Quezon City

It’s not a place that, on its own, you purposely visit. This is not really a “shrine” in its grand sense. Perhaps you could drop by the monument on the way to the wide array of restaurants and gimmick places in Timog Avenue and Tomas Morato Avenue (or, at night, the men’s clubs that abound along Quezon Avenue, literally a stone’s throw from the Ninoy shrine . . . I guess this still falls within the ambit of the freedom that Ninoy fought for.)

The Ninoy monument seems to be totally out of place in this area. The location (at the intersection of two major roads, Quezon and Timog Avenues, and surrounded by commercial establishments) and the way the statue looks (with right arm raised, as if hailing a taxi or bus), a public transport driver will mistake it for a commuter one of these days.

Apologies for the blurred photograph. It was way past midnight and the “shrine” was not lighted. Either they’re conserving electricity or they’re not giving enough importance to this monument. Compare this to the well-lighted memorial known as the 11th World Scout Jamboree Memorial Rotonda or simply the  “Boy Scout Circle“, also located along Timog Avenue intersecting Tomas Morato Avenue, in honor of the 22 Filipino Boy Scouts who died in a plane crash on the way to Marathon, Athens during the 11th World Scout Jamboree.

You won’t  really mind, though, that  the Ninoy Aquino monument is not well-lighted — the statue does not resemble Ninoy anyway (at least he’s wearing the iconic pair of glasses). It may be fitting to light up this monument, a symbolic beacon in the middle of the night, seemingly out of place, surrounded by establishments that cater to the flesh (then again, talking about contrasts, at the next block lies the Saint Paul The Apostle Church).

You’ll know that this is dedicated to Ninoy Aquino by the marking at the foot of the monument, with a plaque which reads:

“Quezon City dedicates this monument in honor and lasting tribute to BENIGNO Ninoy AQUINO JR, whose life embodied that of a fiery fiscalizer who lived an exemplary patriotic life.

In 1950, 17-year old Ninoy became a Manila Times War correspondent in Korea. In 1952 when he was assigned to Indo-china covering the last moment of French colonialism in Asia at Dien Bien Phu. Three years after, at age 22, he was elected as the youngest mayor of his hometown, Concepcion, Tarlac. He was Most Outstanding Senator in 1957 and voted Man of the Year in 1971. He manifested heroism in leading his party in Plaza Miranda as he survived the bomb blast to continue his fight for democracy.

On September 22, 1972, a day after the declaration of Martial Law, Ninoy was arrested, detained and imprisoned at Fort Bonifacio and in Laur, Nueva Ecvija for 7 years and 7 months in solitary confinement. He went on a protes hunger strike while in prison from April 4 – May 13, 1975. On May 8, 1980, he was released from Fort Bonifacio to undergo tripe bypass operation at Texas, U.S.A.

On August 21, 1983, Ninoy returned in his homeland and was assassinated at the airport after disembarking from the plane. This was the event that changed the course of Philippine history. Ten days after his death, a funeral march from Sto. Domingo Church in Quezon City to Manila Memorial Park was joined by around two million people. This was considered the longest funeral march in world history.”

The QC government unveiled the monument during Ninoy’s 77th birth anniversary. Added: We happened to pass by the monument when we were discharged from the hospital, so here’s a clearer view:

Incidentally, the inauguration of Ninoy’s only son, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, as the 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines is on June 30, 2010, which has been declared as a national holiday (see also, list of 2010 holidays).

Ninoy is the husband of Corazon “Cory” Aquino. Ninoy was assassinated when he returned to the Philippines in 21 August 1983. Cory later became the President of the Philippines. President Cory died in 1 August 2009, a few days short of August 21, which is the Ninoy Aquino Day. (Read more about Ninoy from iamNinoy.com)

This year, 2009, August 21 (Friday) to August 23 (Sunday) is a long weekend (click to see other long weekends for 2009 or the declared holidays in 2010). August 21 is a special non-working holiday, to commemorate the death of Ninoy. Incidentally, the burial date of Pres. Cory Aquino, on August 5, 2009, has just been declared as a special non-working holiday (Proclamation 1851).

What comes to your mind with the celebration of Ninoy Aquino Day? Please use the comment section below.

(Photo courtesy of Wikipedia)

The most surprising scene in the middle of a concrete jungle, however, is not any of those. It’s the lush green area, with a body of water in the middle offering a serene medium to soothe frayed nerves. It’s not the granite or steel columns of skyscrapers in Makati or Ortigas, but the tree trunks that have withstood the test of time. Imagine my surprise when I stepped into the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center, in the middle of Quezon City, just across the Quezon Circle and a stone’s throw from the Quezon City Hall (if you’re a mall rat, perhaps it would be better to describe it as one block away from Trinoma or two blocks away from SM City North EDSA, along North Avenue). It’s near the University of the Philippines (Diliman), another green patch in the middle of the city, but that’s another story.

It may appear that there’s really nothing extraordinary with a green patch in the middle of Quezon City. Would you consider a green patch of earth extraordinary? Everyone has an opinion, of course. For me, it’s one of the major differences between Ayala malls and SM malls — the open spaces, the green patches where weary shoppers could sit down and relax. The good thing, though, is that SM appears to be slowly adopting this concept.

There’s an aviary, wildlife rescue center and other sights (just go to its site to read more), but I never had the chance to go see any of them. It was enough for me to enjoy the time spent at the edge of the peaceful waters of the lagoon. Just like the eye of a storm, it’s amazing to experience tranquility in the middle of hurried time, unforgiving reality and harsh grind of life forward.