Former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III passed away on Thursday, half a decade since he stepped down from power and as the country fights an unprecedented global health crisis.
Aquino, the only son of democracy icons Cory and Ninoy, was elected the 15th president of the Philippines in 2010, and ran on the campaign "Daang Matuwid" shortly after the death of his mother in 2009.
READ: Former President Noynoy Aquino is Dead at 61
"PNoy" to the masses, it was during the bachelor president's term that the Philippines brought China to the international arbitral tribunal to fight for the West Philippine Sea.
While he stayed largely out of the public eye after leaving Malacañang, Aquino left behind a trove of memorable quotes from his speeches and interviews. Here are some of them:
1. "Kayo ang boss ko, kaya’t hindi maaaring hindi ako makinig sa mga utos ninyo."
-Inaugural Address, June 30, 2010
2. "I had a simple goal in life: to be true to my parents and our country as an honorable son, a caring brother, and a good citizen."
-Inaugural Address, June 30, 2010
3. "Kapag nanalig tayo na ang kasangga natin ay ang Diyos, mayroon ba tayong hindi kakayanin?"
-First SONA, July 26, 2010
4. “Now, our message is clear: What is ours is ours; setting foot on Recto Bank is no different from setting foot on Recto Avenue."
-Second SONA, July 25, 2011, referring to China's harassment of a Filipino survey ship in Recto Bank
5. "I will not let peace be snatched from my people again.”
– at the historic signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamaro between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, March 27, 2014
6. "The Filipino is worth dying for. The Filipino is worth living for. If I may add, the Filipino is worth fighting for."
-Fifth SONA, July 28, 2014
7. "For the record: yes, my love life is still like Coke Zero. I hope that when I step down from the presidency, it will at least go back to being like Coke Light."
– at the inauguration of the Coca-Cola Canlubang Plant Expansion, Nov. 3, 2014
8. "E di wow."
-6th SONA, July 27, 2015
9. "Ako po, naniniwalang hindi natin tadhanang ulitin ang madilim nating kasaysayan; ang tadhana natin ay suma lamang ng mga desisyong ginagawa natin sa ngayon. Naniniwala ako sa kadakilaan ng ating lahi."
-30th anniversary of EDSA, Feb 25, 2016
10. "To the Filipino people: May we never lose our patience with the ways of democracy, and may we never take it for granted or be passive in its defense."
- at the vin d’honneur in celebration of Independence Day, June 12, 2016
