"You chose your parents well." These were the words of the late Nelson Mandela to President Aquino.
Aquino recalled his encounter with Nobel Peace laureate and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela when the latter visited the Philippines.
“On a more personal note, I recall with gratitude and humility the kind words he told me during his visit to the Philippines when I was still a Representative. He told me then, ‘You chose your parents well.’ My mother admired him; like all of us, she would have been deeply saddened by his passing,” Aquino said in a statement.
The Philippine President also expressed his sympathy to South Africa, and to the world, as it mourns the passing of Mandela.
“On behalf of the entire Filipino people, I extend our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Mandela, the people of South Africa, and all men and women of peace and goodwill who mourn the passing of a truly great man. For today, as Nelson Mandela united his people in the spirit of compassion and inclusiveness, so too does he unite the rest of the world—not only in grief and mourning, but also in respect and admiration for a life lived with strength, courage, humility, and dignity. His memory will serve as a durable guide to humanity as we seek to bequeath to future generations a world better than we found it,” the statement read.
Mandela died on Thursday at the age of 95. He had been receiving intensive medical care at home for a lung infection after spending 3 months in the hospital.
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