Names of President Aquino, mom Cory carved side by side in Fordham steps

NEW YORK—The names of President Aquino and his mother, the late former President Corazon Aquino, were carved side by side at the very top of the 19 stone steps called “Terrace of the President” at the Jesuit-run Fordham University.

Mr. Aquino laid yellow roses at the step before the start of the conferment of his honorary doctorate of laws at Keating Hall, where the audience that included Filipino students, academics and members of the Filipino community applauded and cheered when he entered.

Corazon Aquino was conferred the same honorary degree by Fordham in September 1986. Forty other heads of state such as US Presidents John F. Kennedy and Franklin Roosevelt were similarly honored.

The other Philippine presidents who received the honorary degree, and whose names were also carved on the steps, were the late Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia and Diosdado Macapagal. Also thus honored were Fidel Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, now a Pampanga representative.

‘Remarkable parents’

In his remarks at the conferment ceremony, Fordham President Joseph McShane said that although Mr. Aquino was visiting the university for the first time, “you’re part of our family.”

McShane said it was “neither the rich memories of the past and [Mr. Aquino’s] impeccable Ateneo pedigree” that prompted Fordham to invite him and formalize their ties, but the President’s living the example of his “remarkable parents” in serving his country.

“Your father (the late former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.) inspired the nation; your mother sparked the revolution in the hearts of not only the people of the republic of the Philippines but also all those who love freedom around the world,” McShane said, adding:

“You have lived your life selflessly in the service of others. In fact, like your parents, you are nurturing democracy, make the rule of law and the care of the poor your special concerns, the concern of your heart. In the process, you have shown the world, and you have shown particularly us here at Fordham today, that the life of principled service can and does transform the world.”

Ateneo jokes

The President profusely thanked Fordham, whose sister institution is Ateneo de Manila University, which he attended from grade school to college.

In his speech, he said he was “struck by the symbolism” of Fordham’s tradition of “literally carving in stone the names of the leaders” given honorary degrees.

“It serves as a permanent reminder that the verdict of history on those who have been accorded this distinction will neither be deferred nor ignored,” he said.

The Ateneo fever was alive and kicking in Fordham, with McShane cracking jokes on the longtime rivalry between Ateneo and De La Salle University.

“I know that you will not mind if I tell you that the dream of dreams for many of the reverends was to teach at Ateneo de Manila and to lead the students to victory over De La Salle,” McShane said, drawing loud cheers and applause from the audience and laughter from Mr. Aquino.

McShane drew another round of cheers and laughter when he said  it was “sad” that “in the Philippines, there is Ateneo and then all the others.”

In a serious vein, McShane told the President that Fordham was “challenged by your example” and “proud to call you brother in the work of transforming the world.”

“With Ateneo and Fordham together, the world doesn’t stand to have a chance,” he said in ending his greetings to the President.