CANADA CONNECTION: Renaming the NAIA?

LANDMARK OF A HERO – If there’s any Philippines infrastructure that deserves the name of a man who affirmed his true love of the country and valiantly fought for the Filipinos freedom and democracy, it should not be less than the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the gateway of the Philippines to the world, where the blood of a hero spilt over on its tarmac after his infamous assassination.

That it was deemed the brainchild of the dictator himself, or the machinations of his shenanigans then hovering around Malacañang, the senseless assassination of Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. manifested the cruelness, ferociousness and savagery of the dictator’s regime that vandalized the time-honored basic principles of freedom and democracy in the country.

Such historically mournful event that broke out on Sept 21, 1983 mustered the unity of majority of Filipinos to seek redress and demand for justice, as exemplified by the message of “Justice for Aquino, Justice for All Movement”, that saw many of the Filipinos standing by the major thoroughfares in Manila with a clinched fist as his remains were brought to its lasting peace while a throng of onlookers showed with heavy heart their outbursts of rage, despising the dictator as they condemn vehemently the assassination.

Indeed, today NAIA isn’t just a landmark of an illustrious person worthy of emulation but a vivid reminder of a tumultuous event in the Philippines history.

By adhering to the name NAIA, Filipinos affirmed their eloquent expression of appreciating the legacy left behind by Sen. Aquino, who once said “Filipinos are worth dying for”, and whose integrity and accomplishments in the struggle against dictatoship and militarism of the country were all beyond reproach.

Replacing it with name of a dictator or by any other name that is insignificant and meaningless is absolutely contemptible, scornful and despicable.

For that matter, we fraternized with the group resisting the renaming of NAIA into as “Ferdinand E. Marcos International Airport”.

If our memory won’t be wrong, Ferdinand E. Marcos was deemed the world renown dictator, apparently due to his repressive regime and tyranny that caused the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus, rampant extra-judicial killings, abridgement of the freedom of speech and expression, and the unabatement of graft and corruption perpetrated by his own alleged political cronies, cohorts, and ring of criminal syndicates.
To rename NAIA is undoubtedly a deliberate revision of our history that will eventually blemishes in the minds of the new generation the horrific Aquino assassination.

Rather than renaming NAIA into the name of a dictator, which is nothing but a ridiculous and non-sense form of legislation, we would appreciate the erection of a statue of the falling Ninoy and the painting of a mural depicting him boarding the plane with his would-be assasins, so that the air travellers, especially arriving balikbayan Pinoys could have a chance to look back to their past, and recoup their feeling of belongingness in a country of noble and dignified persons like Ninoy.

Let’s retain the name Ninoy Aquino International Airport lest the heroism of Sen. Benigno Aquino will lost its significance and meaning in the life of the present and upcoming generation.

Preserve NAIA, Preserve the LANDMARK OF FILIPINO PRIDE!

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NO TO HISTORY REVISIONISM – What compelled the propositionist of changing the name of NAIA with the name of a dictator to file such legislation? Did he realize that changing the name of a facility that honors an illustrious and dignified person is tantamount to penetrating the past with a sharp edge of knife of the present that will cause him disrespect and irreparable humiliation from every freedom loving Filipino?

Did he realize that a change in the name of NAIA would have tremendous repercussions and consequences to his political career?

Poor congressman, he better consign himself to thinking and drafting a legislation that would priorities the upliftment of the economic well-being of his constituents rather than masquerading himself with political pretensions let alone winning the sympathy of the power- that-be in order to advance his self-vested interest, and purportedly conceal his skeletons in the closet as a Solon with seemingly inferior performance.

It may be preposterous to concede that history revisionism isn’t only the mutilation of the soul and spirit of the past let alone the alteration of factual and credible records, but the inadvertent neglect of the historical events and the eventual non-recognition of our past leaders and heroes who made significant contributions to the growth and development of the country, and had propelled the fame and honor of the Philippines internationally.

Indeed, Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. is a hero Filipinos worthy to be proud of internationally.* (Dan Cajurao)