The late President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III was interred on Saturday, June 26. Aquino was sent off by his sisters—"mission accomplished"—to be with their late parents, former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino and former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
He was the only one of the brood to follow their parents' footsteps and enter Philppine government—and with his passing, there is one question that must be asked. What is the future of one of the most prominent families in Philippine politics?
The younger former president, "PNoy" to his supporters, is survived by his sisters Maria Elena "Ballsy" Aquino-Cruz, Aurora Corazon "Pinky" Aquino-Abellada, Victoria Elisa "Viel" Aquino-Dee, and Kristina Bernadette "Kris" Aquino. The youngest, better known in as "Kris," is the most visible in the public eye and in her heyday was the self-proclaimed "Queen of All Media."
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Could Kris Aquino be the next political figure of her family?
With social media abuzz over a possible election debut for Kris following Noynoy's death, it wouldn't be a surprise to see her following in her brother's footsteps. Kris has talked about the possibility before, stating that she was not ready—but that was before her brother's passing.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she runs in the elections next year. As to what post, it's still too early to tell but she's the most likely one to take on the political mantle," political analyst Ramon Casiple told reportr.
Should Kris forego entering politics due to health reasons, her endorsement of a candidate would be of value, he added. A likely candidate is their cousin, former Senator Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino, who lost his reelection bid in 2019, a year that was dominated by current President Rodrigo Duterte's allies.
"What's clear is that someone has to continue the family legacy. Someone has to take on the political mantle, not necessarily run for president but be present," Casiple said.
Aquinos and deaths
The 1983 assassination of Ninoy Aquino Jr. fueled public clamor to end the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and earned the Aquinos their place in Philippine history.
Ninoy's assassination catapulted his wife Cory to the presidency—the first woman to hold the post in the Philippines—and in turn, her death in 2009 propelled their only son Noynoy to Malacañang.
"Historically, the Aquino family always becomes stronger politically whenever they lose one," Casiple said, noting that the support is a mix of public sympathy and adoration for the storied legacy of the family.
Similar to the 2010 elections, Noynoy's death is also expected to impact the 2022 polls. But the extent of the influence remains to be seen. It is still "too early to tell" with political parties yet to announce concrete plans, Casiple said.
What can be seen now is that the opposition will benefit from the publicity of Noynoy's death. As to whether it will be enough to propel their candidates to victory is unsure, Casiple argues, since Duterte continues to command wide support. Still, the analyst is clear on one thing. "For sure, one will rise to the occasion like Noynoy did when their mother died," Casiple said.
Figureheads of Democracy
With barely a year left before the elections—and with the opposition decimated in the 2019 midterm elections—the Liberal Party is still in the process of choosing who will go against President Duterte's anointed one.
Eyes are on Vice President Maria Leonor "Leni" Robredo, the most likely candidate of the opposition for the presidency, but she has yet to officially announce her decision. In one way or the other, Casiple said Robredo could benefit from the aftermath of Noynoy's death; after years of being demonized for being "dilawan" there could be a trigger for renewed public support.
After all, as Casiple pointed out, if the Aquinos mean anything to the Filipino people, it could be summed up in one word: democracy.
It is the family's "greatest legacy," Casiple said, noting that "no one can deny that their family stood up for democracy" and that "their family is a symbol of democracy."
"History is witness to that. You can't deny that from their anti-Marcos struggle, they really stood for democracy," he said. "As a family, it's their greatest legacy, and the Filipinos know that."
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