On Cory Aquino's 11th death anniversary, prayers sought for 'these uncertain times'

Prayers were sought for the "uncertain times" experienced by Filipinos amid the COVID-19 pandemic, on the occasion of the 11th death anniversary of former President Cory Aquino on Saturday.

"Let us continue to pray for each other during these uncertain times," Rafael Lopa, executive director of the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation, said as a response by the Aquino family after a Mass celebrated online by Fr. Manoling Francisco. Lopa is the nephew of former President Cory.

He especially asked for prayers for those who are less fortunate who are undergoing hardship amid the pandemic.

"Let us seek the intercession of Ninoy and Cory," Lopa said, as the two have shown that the only way out of adversity is prayer.

"Let's keep safe everyone and let's pray for each other," he said.

In his homily, Fr. Manoling Francisco pointed out that both Ninoy and Cory experienced fear and indignation. 

"Cory always turned to God and prayed, and so did Ninoy," he said.

"In her darkest moments, Cory always turned to God," Francisco added.

He urged the public to turn to prayer amid the fear and indignation felt by many today due to the pandemic and the decisions made by the national government.

"We too are fearful and indignant... And so we ask the grace of God to transform our fear to courage, to transform our indignation to righteous anger. We pray our fears will not paralyze us. We pray for courage," he said.

"We pray our angers are not behavioralized to acts of violence but in assertive nonviolence despite our exasperation that can slide to skepticism. We pray for grace...," Francisco said.

"We live in perilous times during which the COVID-19 virus has infected more than 17 million worldwide and 90 million in the Philippines. We live in exasperating times as we witness national governments including our own fumble against an enemy the cannot see," he added.

Former President Cory Aquino died on August 1, 2009 after battling cancer.

Aquino rallied the middle class in a series of protests culminating in the 1986 People Power revolt that toppled the 20-year regime of strongman Ferdinand Marcos and swept her to the presidency.

She blamed the Marcos government for the assassination of her husband, opposition leader and former senator Benigno “Ninoy" Aquino Jr., who was gunned down at the Manila airport upon returning from exile in 1983. 

Less than a year after Cory's death, the Aquinos' only son Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III became the 15th President of the Philippines. —KG GMA News