MANILA – Keeping “Cory Magic” alive is as easy as launching a commemorative book.
 
ABS-CBN Publishing, in partnership with the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), and the Ayala Foundation recently launched a book titled “Cory Magic.”
 
The 400-page book immortalizes the late president Corazon “Cory” Aquino’s death, wake, and her historic funeral in stunning full-color photos and touching essays.
 
Each photograph, taken by a group of photojournalists led by Sonny Yabao, is accompanied by essays written by Raul Rodrigo.
 
Rodrigo’s essays tackle recollections about Aquino’s life based on interviews with her daughter Ballsy Aquino Cruz, her supporters Teddy Boy Locsin and Bishop Soc Villegas, as well as her admirers, among others.
 
The pictures in the book are also accompanied by short messages sent by Aquino’s supporters on internet sites, e-mails and printed media.
 
“The thousands of Filipinos in the images and vignettes assert a collective love and admiration for the dearly departed—President, mother, and exemplar of decency,” a press statement sent by ABS-CBN publishing said.
 
“The book seeks to capture the recent upswell of People Power in all its immediacy,” the statement added.
 
‘Call for good governance’
 
Though it has been almost 4 months since Aquino’s death, she is far from forgotten, members of the Aquino family said.
 
“The enduring love for her, I always say, we cannot thank the people enough,” said Aquino’s daughter Pinky Aquino Abellada.
 
In memorable photos and anecdotes, Aquino is remembered as a leader who was responsible, God-fearing, and (no matter her faults) honest.
 
Thus, the book reportedly serves as a timely message for Filipinos, especially with the upcoming national elections, to “hold fast to democracy” and to “accord the deepest honor to an honest leader.”
 
Aquino’s son, Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is coincidentally running for president in 2010.
 
Various political analysts have observed that the support for his campaign owes partly to his mother’s enduring influence, a phenomenon dubbed “Cory Magic.”

The book “Cory Magic”, available in leading book stores, is priced at P900 for softbound copies and P1,200 for hardbound copies.
 
‘Say Chiz’
 
Meanwhile, Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero—a supposed contender for the 2010 elections—has also launched a book this month titled “Say Chiz (as told to Bibeth Orteza).”
 
The book will tackle Escudero’s personal life as well as his political career. The senator was supposed to run for president in 2010 but withdrew from the race.
 
Parts of the book tackle his brief but significant encounter with the late actor Fernando Poe Jr., whose 6th death anniversary is on December 14.
 
“Mahalagang bahagi naman si FPJ bagama’t maikli lang na naging bahagi siya ng buhay ko. (FPJ was an important part of my life even if he was only part of my life in a short span of time),” Escudero said in an interview with ABS-CBN News.
 
Escudero once served as FPJ’s spokesman during the latter’s presidential campaign in 2004.
 
Poe’s daughter, Mary Grace Poe Llamanzares, said she was happy that her father’s picture was included in Escudero’s book.
 
“It’s very entertaining to read… it’s so sentimental. This is how I remember him (FPJ) when they used to campaign together,” she said.
 
‘Noynoy is my guy’
 
At the book’s recent launch, Escudero said he would support the presidential bid of Sen. Aquino, Cory Aquino’s only son.
 
“It’s easy to guess whom [I will support]… When I backed out of the 2010 presidential race is out of respect to ‘Noy as a friend. It’s not for me to be competitive and to take that away from him,” Escudero said in Filipino.
 
Other 2010 presidential candidates are former Defense Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr., former president Joseph Estrada, lawyer JC de los Reyes, Sen. Richard Gordon, and environmental advocate Nicanor Perlas. With reports from Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News.