President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III with his sister, Pinky Aquino-Abellada at La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City

MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos commemorated the first death anniversary of former President Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino on Sunday by holding memorial masses and tributes.

A memorial mass officiated by Lingayen-Dagupan Archishop Socrates “Soc” Villegas was held at La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong City.

The late Chief Executive’s family, led by her children Ballsy, Pinky, Viel, Kris and President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III were joined by relatives, friends and members of volunteer organizations at St. Benilde Gymnasium.

Prior to the mass, a historical marker was unveiled in honor of the late leader. President Noynoy and his sisters led the unveiling of the marker.

The unveiling kicked off “Her Legacy, Our Promise: The People's Tribute to Cory Aquino.”

A video presentation celebrating the “People Power People” (PPP) Program was shown after. Cory’s nephew, Rapa Cojuangco Lopa, said they will re-launch and expand the PPP program which aims to cultivate and promote volunteerism among Filipinos.

A small group of seed organizations, meantime, pledged their commitments during the People’s Tribute.

Rapa Cojuangco Lopa, executive director of the Ninoy and Cory Foundation, said the groups have made positive changes in society in their own way.

Lopa added that they hope to sustain the works of these groups by linking them up with other volunteer groups.

Some of the groups are One Tama, which encourages citizens to do simple and positive everyday tasks for the community; Dynamic Teen Company, the group organized by CNN Hero Efren Peñaflorida to provide education to street dwellers using “kariton” (pushcart) classrooms; Sparks for Change, which seeks to create a healthy community through medical missions and health education sessions; and community-building program Gawad Kalinga that seeks to provide homes to families who do not have the basic right to shelter.

Kris Aquino with son Baby James

Memorial masses

The life of the Philippines’ first female President was remembered nationwide.

Her home province, Tarlac, held a wreath-laying ceremony at the Cory monument.

Her supporters in her hometown of Paniqui, Tarlac joined a memorial mass at the Saint Rose of Lima Parish Church.

The parish was among those that led healing prayers for the democracy icon when she was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2008.
A shrine with yellow ribbons and flowers was also dedicated to Cory.

Her supporters even promised to support President Noynoy as their way of showing their love for the former President.

A memorial mass for Cory was also held in Zamboanga.

Other Cory supporters gathered at the Manila Memorial Park to pay respects to the former President. Around 200 guards and policemen are providing security for the supporters and VIP’s expected to visit on Sunday.

Cyclists ride for Cory

Earlier, hundreds of cyclists joined the “Ride for Cory” bikeathon at around 7 a.m. of Sunday.

Around 300 to 400 bikers passed the Ortigas-Boni Serrano-EDSA-Connecticut loop.

The event, which was organized by Carewell Communities, is for the benefit of cancer patients.

On Saturday, President Noynoy led the unfurling of the “Cory in Luneta,” a photo mosaic made from more than 3,000 photos during his mother’s term.

The giant Cory photo mosaic will remain at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila for seven days.

The Yellow Ribbon Movement, meanwhile, launched the “Kasama Ako sa Pagbabago” campaign on Saturday with a tree-planting activity near the Aquino residence along Times Street in Barangay West Triangle, Quezon City.

The movement is an advocacy group that supports President Noynoy’s challenge of genuine transformation among Filipinos.

Lola Cory’s legacy

A grandson of President Cory, meantime, said he hopes that his fellowmen will not forget his Lola Cory.

In a post on Yahoo! Philippines, Jiggy Aquino Cruz said his grandmother “remained faithful to the Lord and believed in the Filipino” to the very end.

He added that the former President wished for “Filipinos to continue to pray to the Lord and to pray for one another.”

While he admitted that he finds it difficult to cope with his grandmother’s death, especially when he passes by Cory’s old room, he knows she is now in a better place.

“My lola already accepted it the moment she found out she was ill and she sacrificed the pain to give us more time with her. I will always be thankful for that sacrifice she gave to me and my family,” said Cruz.

Corazon Cojuangco Aquino was born in Manila on January 25, 1933. She was the sixth of eight children of Jose and Demetria Cojuangco. She graduated valedictorian in elementary at St. Scholastica's College.

According to Cory, her seven years of studying in the US gave her a measure of independence.

Cory was also a gifted painter. She liked to paint flowers and women, usually in oil or acrylic on canvas.

In 1954, she married Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. The late senator was assassinated on August 21, 1983.

Cory took her oath of office as the Republic of the Philippines’ 11th President on February 25, 1986 at Club Filipino in San Juan.

After her presidency, Cory devoted her time to the Benigno S. Aquino Foundation and PinoyME.

In 2008, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. She went through an operation in 2009. On August 1, 2009, after a long battle with cancer, the 76-year-old Aquino died at the Makati Medical Center at 3 a.m. – With reports from ANC and ABS-CBN News Correspondents Pia Gutierrez, Jeck Batallones, Queenie Casimiro (Zamboanga), Cris Zuñiga (North Central Luzon) and Jing Vallejos (North Central Luzon)