NEW WASHINGTON, Aklan -- Residents, students and local officials remember the legacy of Jaime Cardinal Sin, a high-ranking Chinese Filipino priest.

A mass was held at the New Washington Parish, followed by a simple program and a wreath-laying ceremony.

Sin, whose father was a Chinese trader, was a prominent figure during the Edsa revolution in the 1980s that led to the downfall of the Marcos administration.

The wreath-laying parade started from the ancestral house of Sin towards the nearby Bronze statue of the late priest facing the parish.

“We commemorate the 91st birthday of Sin. Not only was he a resident of this town, but also he is part of the Philippine history,” said Councilor Neneng Velarde, who chairs the committee of tourism at the municipal council during the program.

Sin died of a natural illness on June 21, 2005.

In New Washington, Sin was cited as the one who gave huge donations for the establishments of two institutions, such as the Pink Sisters convent and the Mercenary of Charity founded by St. Mother Theresa of Calcutta. (SunStar Philippines)