PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, August 21, 2025, urged Filipinos to approach the commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day with reflection and a renewed sense of civic duty, stressing the importance of reconciliation and principled leadership.
In his message marking the 42nd anniversary of the assassination of former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., Marcos said the day serves as an invitation “to govern with sobriety, conscience, and foresight.”
“The commemoration of Ninoy Aquino Day brings to light a chapter in our nation’s shared story that continues to echo across generations and public memory,” the President said.
“History invites reflection more than reaction and from that reflection arises a clearer understanding of civic duty,” he added.
The President noted that the Philippines has undergone profound transformations over the years, shaped by moments when individuals chose to face history with “resolve.”
“As someone raised within a political tradition formed by these moments, I have come to understand that history offers less final judgment than continuing instruction,” Marcos said, adding that the lessons of the past should guide governance and strengthen institutions.
He underscored that the Republic’s observance of Ninoy Aquino Day “signals its readiness to uphold leadership that strives towards wholeness and reconciliation,” while advancing “statecraft disciplined, steady, and shaped by the enduring imperative to choose peace above quarrel, and dignity beyond differences.”
“May we all have a solemn and meaningful remembrance,” the President added.
Ninoy Aquino Day, a special non-working holiday, commemorates the assassination of Aquino on August 21, 1983 at the Manila International Airport, an event that sparked massive public dissent against the Marcos regime and ultimately paved the way for the 1986 People Power Revolution. (JGS/SunStar Philippines)