Aquino leads commemoration of Cory's 3rd death anniversary

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III will lead on Wednesday the main ceremony commemorating the third death anniversary of his mother, late President Corazon "Cory" Aquino, at Edsa Shrine in Ortigas.

Activities include a mass at the Edsa Shrine and the unveiling of Cory's bust at 5:30 p.m.

The President will also grace a photo exhibit featuring his late mother, who died of colon cancer in August 1, 2009.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said there is no schedule yet if the President and his sisters will visit their mother's tomb at Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City.

Malacañang said it will join the nation on Wednesday in remembering the former President "who proved the Filipino is indeed worth living for."

"As wife, mother, and President, she exemplified the virtues of faith, perseverance, and integrity. As a widow dressed in yellow, her soft spoken and honest dedication to the struggle to win back our democracy by peaceful means, earned her the respect of an empowered nation and the international community," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement issued Tuesday.

"She was, in so many ways, the nation's moral compass -- a constant presence that personified not only the greatness Filipinos could achieve but also the people's staunch determination to defend and nurture our democratic institutions and the principles she and millions of Filipinos helped restore and rebuild," he added.

The Palace official said the late President "was a gift" bestowed upon the country who will never be erased in people's hearts and minds.

Corazon Aquino led a bloodless revolution in 1986 that toppled Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled the Philippines for 20 years. She was the 11th president of the republic and the first female president in Asia. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)