Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima has filed a Senate Resolution expressing the profound sympathy and sincere condolences of the Senate on the death of Former President and Senator Benigno “Noynoy” S. Aquino III, whom she called “a beloved leader and true hero of democracy.”
De Lima filed Senate Resolution (SR) No. 764 pointing out that Aquino’s selfless service and love for every Filipino deserve more than emulation because the long list of the gains of his dedicated administration and unparalleled leadership impacts the country to this very date.
“Through his exemplary and moral leadership, he was admired not only by Filipinos but by various leaders all over the world. President Noynoy Aquino has lived a fulfilled and selfless life that serves as inspiration to all and epitomizes the best qualities of the Filipino nation – he exuded decency, honor, respect, integrity and morality,” she said.
“As the Filipino nation mourns his passing, our respect, love and admiration would evince that the greatest of leaders do not need to demand these for they will reap what they sow. For all his contributions to society, for the times he chose to cleanse the nation of corruption and illegal practices even if it cost political allies – we will forever be truly grateful,” she added.
PNoy, who was a former member of the House of Representatives and the Senate and an outstanding public servant who served as the 15th President of the Philippines, passed away on June 24, at the age of 61.
Upon his election in 2016 as President, De Lima said Aquino did not shy away from the greatest challenges that beset the country, including, among others, concerns on corruption and economy.
With Aquino’s vision of “Daang Matuwid,” De Lima said “he oversaw the transition from having a government that institutionalized corrupt practices, to one that provides public service founded on the principles of transparency, accountability, and integrity; from being home to a citizenry clamoring for change, to nurturing a nation empowered and actively working together for greater opportunities for inclusive growth.
During his six-year term as President, De Lima noted that Aquino transformed the country from being the “Sick Man of Asia” to “Asia’s Rising Tiger”, thereby leaving the next administration with strong economic fundamentals and a crisis-proof, thriving, and vibrant economy.
Notably, the Philippines’ ranking in the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report rose to 47th out of 140 economies in 2015 from 87th among 133 before Aquino took office in 2010.
In Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, meanwhile, a widely used yardstick, the Philippines rose to 85th out of 175 countries in 2014 from 134th place out of 178 in 2010.
In filing SR No. 764, the lady Senator from Bicol also cited Aquino’s contribution in pushing for the improvement of the plight of the poor and country’s infrastructures.
“President Noynoy Aquino expanded the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which lifted the lives of 7.7 million Filipinos out of poverty,” she noted.
“In terms of infrastructures, the number of classrooms doubled during his administration. Many of the projects continued and completed during the present administration were also set in motion under the Aquino administration, including the Skyway Stage 3, and LRT-1 and LRT-2 stations,” she added.
De Lima likewise noted how PNoy courageously fought for the country’s sovereignty and stood firmly against the mighty China going by mantra “Right is might.”
“One of the momentous achievements of the Aquino administration was when it defended the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity through diplomacy, believing that adherence to international law will result not only in regional stability but also in more lasting resolutions to maritime disputes,” she said.
It was under Aquino’s administration that the Philippines challenged China’s legal basis for its expansive claim on the WPS before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, Netherlands, and won the case in a landmark award in 2016 after the tribunal invalidated Beijing’s assertions.
Finally, De Lima, who was Justice Secretary during the Aquino Administration, lauded the late President for “shatter[ing] the glass-ceiling for women under his administration” as he appointed women like herself in key positions.
Aside from her, other women he appointed include, among others, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales, Secretary of Social Welfare and Development Dinky Soliman, Presidential Adviser on Peace Process Ging Deles, Secretary of Labor and Employment Rosalinda Baldoz, Health Secretary Janette Garin and Commissioner of the Bureau of Internal Revenue Kim Henares. (30)