Boston is known to be “home” to the Aquinos as the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr, the President’s father, spent his days of exile in the quaint American town during Martial Law.
Ninoy was with his family then and President Aquino himself spent some of his formative years in Boston.
According to a press release from the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO), national president of the Philippine Nurses Association of America Leticia Hermosa admitted that she turned “very emotional” upon learning that PNoy will visit Boston.
She added that the Filipino community there has been waiting for the PNoy’s visit since Ninoy’s assassination.
Hermosa fondly recalls Ninoy’s passion for serving the Philippines.
Also, she told the PCOO: “It’s very, very emotional for me because when Benigno, the father, went home. He really has very, very strong feelings about doing a good job in the Philippines. And… the unfortunate thing happened, so I was very sad… and from then on the Filipino community here in Boston is looking forward to the [Aquinos] visit here.”
The Filipino community in Boston has since been looking forward to a visit from the Aquinos, especially when Corazon “Cory” Aquino became president of the Philippines.
“[It] started with Cory…, we were looking forward to her coming back here. And of course, now with President Aquino, we are embracing (him) with warm welcome… Welcome to your home. This was his home when he was growing up,” Hermosa added.
GMA News’ Jun Veneracion reported the Aquino family’s residence while in exile during the Marcos dictatorship in Newton, Massachusetts is now owned by a retired teacher.
President Aquino is expected to attend a traditional Filipino community gathering in Robsham Theater on Sunday (Monday in Manila), and also present scholarships to the recipients of the Benigno and Corazon Aquino Scholarship Foundation during the same events which will be attended by more than 500 Filipinos, the PCOO said.
Moreover, the President will also meet with Democrat Representative Joseph Patrick Kennedy III on Monday (Tuesday evening in Manila), which will be followed by a series of business meetings with the chief executive officers of Conair Corporation, Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., and FIS Global.
After which, President Aquino will deliver a policy speech at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Aquino is then expected to fly to New York to attend the United Nations Climate Change Summit.— Bianca Rose Dabu /LBG, GMA News
