Former President Corazon Aquino poses with children Kris, Noynoy and Viel at her Times Street home. VAL RODRIGUEZMANILA, Philippines - Former President Corazon Aquino was a loving and caring mother who often asked her only son, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, his whereabouts.
Noynoy said his mother would send him text messages “where are you?” if he comes home late.
Noynoy spoke about the warmth of his mother’s love, how she had always been there for him and his four sisters and of how she was a mother, father and friend to all of them.
In an interview with The STAR at the Manila Cathedral yesterday, Noynoy spoke fondly about her and how he was open to her and could talk to her about his love life.
She would tease him about being single but would not really bug him about it or his past and current girlfriends.
Noynoy’s father, the late senator and national hero, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was assassinated on Aug. 21, 1983 upon his return from exile in the United States.
Texting clearly
According to Noynoy, Mrs. Aquino owned a communicator and learned how to text three years ago through the “qwerty” keypad. But she would not put the phone to her ear when calling and instead used the speakerphone.
“When she sends a text, she wants it complete, including the punctuation marks. The spelling, yes (always correct) even if there is no spell check. You can’t find any mistake so when you text back, you have to think, am I spelling (the words) right?” Noynoy said.
“Her ring tones are very cute, ‘Bayan Ko’ and ‘Lupang Hinirang’. But only the music, there are no words. One time I heard (the national anthem) and asked where was that coming from and she said, that’s my cell phone,” he recalled.
He said it was really funny to hear “Bayan Ko” or the national anthem out of the blue but that’s how his mother was, truly nationalistic.
Noynoy disclosed he lived with his mother since he was born in 1961 and until they moved back to their home on Times street in Quezon City from Malacanang when Mrs. Aquino finished her term as president in 1992.
All throughout, Noynoy stayed with his mother as a promise to his father that he would take care of her and his siblings.
He said he was left with his mother in their house because his sisters had all gotten married and settled in their own respective homes.
“So it became just the two of us, and the joke was I was always the flavor of the month because I was the one she would see every day,” Noynoy said.
The senator also did not mind and does not get offended when asked if he was a Mama’s boy.
“If you’re going to tell me I’m a Mama’s boy, my mother would probably say, I wish,” Noynoy said.
In reality, he did not always obey his mother. Although they were together at home, it didn’t mean he followed her every wish.
But the senator clarified he did care for her and would always be worried when she would text, “I want to talk to you” when he was not home, especially when she was already sick.
“Ako rebelde eh. Kami na siguro ni Kris ang pinaka head strong,” Noynoy said, admitting he and his sister were the most hardheaded.
In an interview with Jessica Soho at the Manila Cathedral last night, Kris said she told her mother, “For all the times that I’ve made you cry, I’m sorry.” To which Cory replied, “Of all the kids you’ve brought me the most joy... Ikaw na ikaw ang daddy mo (you’re really your father’s daughter).”
Noynoy said one of his sisters was actually very obedient, that even if she would see things differently she would still try to consider what their mother wanted.
By his recollection, he even asked his parents if he could go back to the Philippines after the heart bypass of his father in the US.
“I told them once you are all okay there maybe me and my older sister could come back already,” Noynoy said.
“In our house, debate is allowed but at the end of the day, it’s a consensus,” he said.
Noynoy said his mother would ask him to stop smoking and drinking soft drinks.
She would also complain about how he refused to religiously practice his faith.
Mrs. Aquino would also joke that the gown she would use on his wedding day had already turned yellow.
“So she would joke maybe we could wait a little more, I think it’s okay if it’s already brown,” he said.
At the end of the day, Noynoy said it would only be him alone in his house and he would ask, “can you really come home?”
“You peep into her room and you realize, she’s no longer there,” Noynoy said.
