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Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Friday refused an offer by Malacañang to construct a monument in honor of his mother, the late former president Corazon "Cory" Aquino.

Addressing crowds who gathered in Ayala Avenue in Makati City for the 26th death anniversary of his father, Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., Aquino said the monument would be useless if the President does not honor his parents' call for honest and just governance.

"(Mag)tatayo po tayo ng monumento, pero hindi naman natin susundin ang adhikain sa isang matinong pamamalakad sa gobyerno. Eh wala hong silbi ang monumentong iyan. [If we construct a monument without honoring the spirit of good governance, then that monument is useless]," he said.

Aquino narrated about learning about the Palace's offer from the press. "Members of the media told me that there is someone planning to make a monument for my mother. And it's not [Manila] Mayor [Alfredo] Lim. I said, you know, the first thing that came to mind is something I heard from a comedian when I was a boy. 'A little stone, a little cement, monument'," he said in Filipino.

The Senator stopped short of criticizing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo directly, saying that his father taught him not to pick fights with women.

On the eve of Ninoy Aquino Day on August 21, Arroyo ordered the immediate construction of a monument for Cory in Rizal Park in Manila, to be completed within 6 months or in time for Cory's birthday in January next year.

A similar offer had been made by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, who plans to construct a monument for Cory beside Ninoy's monument at the corner of P. Burgos Drive and Roxas Boulevard. Lim said he would shoulder the construction cost himself.

Aquino couple on public interest

In the same speech, Aquino described his parents as ordinary citizens who were given a huge responsibility in extraordinary circumstances. He said his parents always had the public's interest in mind with every decision they made.

"They both believed so much in this nation and the power of each individual to effect change through peaceful means. In their minds, the key to the country's long-term stability is to encourage consensus-building in place of dictation and to practice persuasion in place of coercion and oppression," he said.

The senator also thanked the public for remembering his parents' sacrifices.

Mass for Ninoy and Cory

Earlier, members of the Aquino family went to mass at the Don Bosco Church in Makati, the same church that Cory chose for the observance of Ninoy's death anniversary last year.

The mass was attended by US Ambassador Kristie Kenney, former House Speaker Jose de Venecia and his wife Gina, former Senate President Franklin Drilon, Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former Arroyo cabinet officials.

Cory and Ninoy's youngest daughter Kris could not attend the mass because she was ill, while Sen. Noynoy Aquino had a public engagement with the Liberal Party at Plaza Miranda. The party had recently suggested a possible tandem between Aquino and Sen. Manuel "Mar" Roxas in the 2010 polls.

Makati reunion

At the same time, hundreds of people gathered in Makati for the "Dilaw Para sa Pagbabago" celebration. The program featured song performances, poetry readings, and speeches as tributes to Ninoy and Cory.

Atty. Harry Roque, co-convenor of the Concerned Citizens Movement, said the gathering was a "reunion of sorts for the groups who were active in 1986", the year of the People Power Revolution.

Groups who attended the "Dilaw sa Pagbabago" celebration included the August 21 movement, the Spirit of EDSA Foundation, Bandila, Justice for Ninoy Aquino, Justice for All Movement, and the Cory Aquino for President Movement.
There were also representatives from La Salle, St. Scholastica College, University of Santo Tomas, Letran, University of Santo Tomas, University of Makati, Military Wives Pagababago.