Moved by Cory, Web mourners vow to vote

After following the wake and funeral of former President Corazon Aquino via the Internet, inspired Filipinos from around the world vowed on Wednesday that they would fight for political change by voting in the 2010 elections. “You came at the right time, when our country needed you most. You left us at the right time, to relive in our hearts and minds the desire to make our country a better place by being united," said Michelle G. Mañalac in a message she posted on GMANews.TV’s Cory Aquino tribute page. “In a way, you have reminded us to vote wisely for the coming presidential election in 2010." Since Mrs. Aquino’s death last August 1, the tribute page has combined live streaming video with Facebook Connect to allow visitors to post their comments in real time on what they were seeing in the video, as if they were signing a guestbook at a real wake. It was the first "interactive virtual wake" staged by Philippine media.

Unlike at a real wake’s guestbook, however, the comments on the tribute page have not been all solemn – some made jokes about the nuns praying at the wake, others reacted sarcastically to the sight of their least favorite politicians, and more than a few debated and occasionally dissed fellow posters. Again, not the kind of conversations that took place at the real wake in La Salle Greenhills and Manila Cathedral. As the days approached the funeral today, the traffic on the page exploded, with dozens of posts received in a single minute and the video beginning to buffer because of the load. The sorrow of the first days gave way today to pledges of political action through the ballot. All the way from Japan, Robert Paul Arias Zarate said he “is grateful for God's gift of TITA CORY! Your passing away has made me decide to register as a voter here in Japan for next year's elections. Please guide the Filipino people to vote wisely." Alex Beasca said, “I hope that the Cory Magic will live on until 2010. She reminds us all to vote not for ourselves but for our country in the coming 2010 elections." "Farewell Cory. Your death gives me the reason to vote appropriately and to choose rightly the next leader of our country in 2010," said Wina M. Hernandez. Mrs. Aquino’s death unleashed a flood of affection rarely seen in the Philippines. The emotion in the streets, at the wake, and at today’s tear-drenched requiem Mass for the former President was witnessed by countless Filipinos overseas on cable television and their computer screens and echoed in their Facebook posts on the tribute page. Angelo Reyes said, “Tita Cory is more than a political figure, more than a symbol of democracy and peace. She was a mother, a housewife, and the household was a nation." “Madame President, we love you so much, you are a great leader. All the Filipino community here in Santiago, Chile love you so much," said Victoria Artificio. In reaction to the long funeral procession for Mrs. Aquino, Margarita Magpantay remarked, “It is only the humblest who deserve the longest funeral." “Cory Aquino: A great lady, a great patriot, and a great non-violent civic activist. Requiescat in pace. From a Cuban exile who admires her greatly," said another. From Revelyn del Rio: “The Aquino couple were born for the Filipino people and died for the Filipino people." Loren Mae Gacita perhaps summed up best the sentiments of many who participated in the global conversation. “Your legacy will continue forever. You will always be remembered. U will always be in every Filipino's heart," she said. “Thank you for fighting for our democracy. You fought a great battle." - with additional reporting by Alan Robles, GMANews.TV