President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commemorated Ninoy Aquino Day on Thursday, calling the day a way to “govern with sobriety, conscience, and foresight.”

In his message, Marcos said the years that have gone by have brought clarity to the Philippines’ past.

“The passage of time has allowed the country to approach this event with greater clarity and, therefore, with a deeper perspective,” he said. “History invites reflection more than reaction and from that reflection arises a clearer understanding of civic duty.”

Marcos emphasized that over the years, the Philippines has undergone a profound transformation, “one defined by a broader public discourse about power, memory, and citizenship.”

“These transitions unfolded in moments when individuals chose to meet history with resolve,” he said.

According to Marcos, history offers less a final judgment than continuing instruction as it sharpens the way public officials serve, listen, and bear the weight of an office with greater purpose moving forward.

“Our commemoration achieves meaning when the lessons of the past are reflected in our actions and in the moral architecture of institutions,” he said.

He emphasized that by remembering this day, the republic signals its readiness to uphold leadership that strives toward wholeness and reconciliation.

“Through this observance, we advance the work of statecraft: disciplined, steady, and shaped by the enduring imperative to choose peace above quarrel, and dignity beyond differences,” he said.

Ninoy Aquino Day is observed annually on 21 August to commemorate the assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr. in 1983 on his arrival from the United States. The Manila International Airport where he was slain was renamed the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

The day was first observed in 2004 after Republic Act 9256 was signed into law, declaring it a national nonworking holiday.