Some Filipino artists created artworks to express their sympathies and pay tribute to former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III following his passing on Thursday morning, June 24.
Aquino, the country’s 15th president, passed away on Thursday morning, June 24 at 61 years old.
The Aquino sisters said their brother was pronounced dead at 6:30 a.m. due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.
READ: Former Philippine President Benigno Aquino dies of renal failure at 61
The arrival rites and public viewing for Aquino at the Church of the Gesu inside the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City is currently being live-streamed on Radyo Katipunan 87.9 FM on Friday, June 25.
Following reports of his death, Aquino’s supporters, including his family, former colleagues and other relatives, poured heart-tugging tributes for Aquino on social media.
READ: ‘Salamat at paalam, PNoy’: Tributes pour in as ex-president Noynoy Aquino passes away at 61
Kevin Eric Raymundo popularly known as Tarantadong Kalbo paid homage to the former chief executive in the form of a cartoon where Aquino’s stance on the West Philippine Sea row was remembered.
A Reddit user also shared a meme-like artwork with a similar message.
It was under Aquino’s term when the maritime dispute with China was brought to the United Nations Tribunal on the Law of the Sea in The Hague in 2015.
In July 2016, just a month after Aquino’s term ended, the UN Tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines and rejected China’s sweeping “nine-dash line” claim, which covers 90% of the South China Sea.
Another cartoonist who goes by the name Cartoonist Zach made a caricature of the late president wearing his usual Barong Tagalog with the yellow ribbon pinned on it.
“An art tribute to 15th President of Republic of the Philippines. RIP PNoy,” read the post.
Local retail brand Linya-Linya, also a content creator, likewise uploaded a caricature of the former president. The caption came with the hashtag “#SalamatPNoy.”
Artist Jojo Hilario shared a heartwarming graphic art where Aquino’s parents, the late president Cory Aquino and former senator Ninoy Aquino Jr., welcomed their son.
The text in the art read: “You did good, son…Time to go home.”
Aquino is survived by his siblings Kris Aquino, Victoria Elisa Aquino-Dee, Ballsy Aquino-Cruz and Pinky Aquino-Abellada.
In the Aquino family’s official statement, which Pinky read to the media, she told her brother to “be happy” with their late parents.
“Mission accomplished ka, Noy, be happy now with Dad and Mom. We love you and we are so blessed to have had the privilege to have had you as our brother we will miss you forever,” she said.
READ: ‘Mission accomplished ka’: Aquino sisters, relatives bid final farewell to ex-PNoy
Vice President Leni Robredo and her daughters also shared several messages of farewell to Aquino.
Robredo, in particular, remembered him as someone who took care of her family after her husband Jesse died.
President Rodrigo Duterte later issued a statement that expressed sympathies to Aquino’s passing.
“I express my deepest sympathies to his siblings, Ballsy, Pinky, Viel and Kris, as well as to all his loved ones, friends and supporters, in this period of sadness. May you take comfort in the knowledge that he is now in a better place with his Creator,” Duterte said.
“Let us all take this opportunity to unite in prayer and set aside our differences as we pay respects to a leader who has given his best to serve the Filipino people,” he added.
Duterte earlier signed Proclamation No. 1169 that declared June 24 to July 3 as a Period of National Mourning.
