Noynoy Aquino Was The Kind Of Uncle Any Parent Would Love To Have

• This morning of June 24, 2021 came news of the death of former Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. And the one person that instantly came to our mind: Josh.

  No matter your political leaning, everyone knew how Noynoy doted on his nephew, the son of his sister Kris Aquino. It was a warm, playful and affectionate relationship that became deeper when his and Kris’ mother, the former President Cory Aquino, who helped raise Josh, passed away.

  When he is accompanied by his nephew at public events, you could see how Noynoy would always check where Josh might have run to or how Josh is doing. Josh never hesitated to hold his Tito’s hand or hug him, a clear sign how much comfortable he was with his uncle. Noynoy always returned the gesture.

  He would always have his hand on Josh’s shoulder when they enter a car. And he continued doing it even when Josh became taller, this time Tito’s hand on his back. They were the best buddies — textmates, too, according to Kris.

    

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  During the siblings’ public tampuhan, Kris could never deny Josh his Tito Noynoy. So when Josh got sick in 2018, she texted Noynoy to visit, sharing on her social feed the following:

  “Kinapalan ko po ang mukha ko today, nag-text ako. Umamin na alam kong na hurt ko sya pero nakiusap — KAILANGAN sya ni kuya josh. My son needed him — the ONLY constant male figure in his life.”

  Kris shared a photo of Noynoy’s visit at the time, sharing she and her brother always had a complicated relationship. And she shared how her sons, especially Josh, would suffer during their spats.

  “From afar, I took this picture. Sharing with you because ito kami- pamilya na kagaya nyong lahat. Kayang isantabi lahat ng tampuhan dahil hindi mag iiwanan- gagawin ang lahat sa oras ng pangangailangan- dahil may isang ‘special’ na batang inosente na kukuha ng lakas sa pagmamahal ng tito Noy at mama nya.

  “My brother is not active on social media, pero uulitin ko dito yung nasabi ko sa kanya- thank you for loving Josh enough to be here when he really needed you. This is for all of you to get to know the real man, the true NOY AQUINO who is so deserving of RESPECT & ADMIRATION, galing po sa hindi perpekto pero totoong bunsong kapatid, na si Kris Aquino. (Thank you, Mom, from heaven, I know you made this possible.)”

  Noynoy and Josh’s relationship is an example of how aunts and uncles can help parents raise kids. As we noted previously in an article, a tito or tita can inspire your child, become the adult friend he can rely on and even serve as mediator of sorts to smoothen squabbles between parent and child, especially when the child becomes older.

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  Kris understood that, and we hope she, her sons and their family get the support they need as they cope with missing Tito Noy.

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