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Monday, 5 January
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Wednesday, 7 January
Ninoy Aquino Day
On 21st August 1983, the popular, allegedly left-leaning senator Benigno Aquino (popularly known as "Ninoy") was assassinated at the then Manila International Airport (now known as Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA) after returning from a three-year exile in the United States.
Aquino’s assassination shocked and outraged civilians most of whom had by then lost confidence in President Ferdinand Marcos' leadership. It also shook the Marcos government which was by then seen to be deteriorating, in part due to Marcos' worsening and eventually fatal illness.
Following Marcos’ overthrow, Ninoy's wife Corazon (popularly known as Cory) became a popular rallying figure against the Marcos regime and was eventually elected President in her own right.
Each year on 21st August Filipinos commemorate the death of Ninoy Aquino with a non-working holiday, both for his popular struggle and the fact that he was the catalyst which eventually led to the overthrow of the Marcos era.
In the Tagalog language this day is known as Araw ng Kabayan ni Ninoy Aquino.
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