I was 6 years old when I was first exposed to Cory Aquino. My parents took me to EDSA one day and all I could remember was a sea of yellow shirts with a man's face and caps with the L (for Laban) signs. I wore one such cap while propped on my dad's shoulders. Later that year, my brother was born on Ninoy's death anniversary.

Enter a year or so later, every time there would be coups against her, my relatives who lived near Camps Crame and Aguinaldo would stay at our place in San Juan for a few days until it was safer to go home. I would always remember how things would always go back to normal after those few days. Now, it amazes me that this woman held on and courageously faced all those threats against her and her family to protect the principles that she fought for.

Fast forward to 2001- those EDSA Dos days- or so they called it. I often told people back then that that was my second EDSA appearance. Cory was at the forefront of that too, because she was fighting for the democracy and freedom which was again denied to us by way of the unfair and biased proceedings at the Impeachment trial of Erap. I remember how GMA seemed like such a promising liberator- almost like the Cory of 1986.

But there can only be one Cory. In 2005, Cory joined many other politicians in asking Arroyo to step down. I wondered then, why she switched sides just like that, aligning herself with the former President she helped oust. But again, her consistency in fighting for this country's freedom and democracy has always been solid. It was the other politicians who proved to be otherwise.

Just last year, I had the honor of finally meeting and serving Cory at Angels Kitchen, while she had Sunday lunch with her family. She had ordered the Kimchi Rice with Beef Bulgogi, and when I told her it would be a bit spicy, she said she did not mind at all. She also ordered a Sprite to go with that. Every time she spoke to me or a waitress, she always smiled and said thank you. In the service industry like ours, that does not come often. :)

Last Saturday, I was deeply saddened when I heard about her death... Coming home from a late movie, we passed by the Ortigas overpass and I was mesmerized by the simple beauty of the illuminating lights coming from the La Salle auditorium. At that late an hour, Ortigas was filled with cars, TV vans and people trying to get into La Salle, for one last glimpse.

Tita Cory, You will be missed.