Aquinos: Moving holiday won't diminish Ninoy's sacrifice

The Aquino family on Saturday highlighted the late senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.'s place in the nation's history.

This was after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. moved the observance of Ninoy Aquino Day from August 21, Wednesday, to August 23, Friday, citing holiday economics.

Marcos' decision meant a four-day weekend was in store for the public. The last Monday of August, which falls on August 26, is National Heroes' Day, a regular holiday.

“Moving a day of commemoration will not diminish the fact that Ninoy died fighting for the country and the people he so loved, and his death sparked a revolution that ended [Ferdinand] Marcos Sr.'s authoritarian rule,” the Aquino family said in a statement.

Ninoy Aquino was assassinated at the Manila International Airport, now named in his honor, on August 21, 1983.

He was a staunch critic of the elder Marcos, who was succeeded by Ninoy's widow, Corazon Aquino, following the EDSA People Power Revolution in February 1986. — Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News