President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday called on Filipinos to look to history as a compass for leadership and citizenship, stressing peace, unity, and the responsibility of governance.
In his Ninoy Aquino Day message, Marcos said the annual observance “brings to light a chapter in our nation’s shared story that continues to echo across generations and public memory.”
He said that time has given Filipinos “greater clarity and deeper perspective” in reflecting on Aquino’s legacy.
“Our commemoration achieves meaning when the lessons of the past are reflected in our actions and in the moral architecture of institutions. In honoring this day, the Republic signals its readiness to uphold leadership that strives towards wholeness and reconciliation,” Marcos declared.
He added: “Through this observance, we advance the work of statecraft: disciplined, steady, and shaped by the enduring imperative to choose peace above quarrel, and dignity beyond differences.”
Marcos reflected on the country’s transformation over the decades — shifts defined by struggles over power, memory, and citizenship. Filipinos, he said, have consistently chosen to confront 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. It sharpens how we serve, how we listen, and how we bear the weight of an office with a greater purpose moving forward,” he emphasized.
The President also urged present and future leaders to govern with sobriety, conscience, and foresight.
“History invites reflection more than reaction, and from that reflection arises a clearer understanding of civic duty,” he said.
Ninoy Aquino Day, marked every August 21, commemorates the assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. in 1983 at the Manila International Airport. His death triggered massive protests that fueled the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. — the incumbent President’s father.