People from all walks of life flocked to the La Salle gymnasium in Greenhills, San Juan City to pay their last respects to former President Corazon Cojuanco Aquino who died early Saturday morning due to cardio-respiratory arrest.

Trishia P. Octaviano, secretariat and one of those in charge to handle the crowd, said that as early as 8 a.m. Sunday, an estimated 2,000 people have already lined up inside and outside the La Salle Greenhills campus to catch a glimpse of the former president who died at about 3:18 a.m. at the Makati Medical Center.

Aquino’s remains were brought to the school’s gymnasium Saturday afternoon in order for the people to get the chance to see the beloved president for the last time.

“Hindi bababa sa 2,000 tao ang nakapila sa loob at labas. Most probably, bawat ikot nito aabot na naman sa 2,000 tao ang nakapila,” Octaviano told Manila Bulletin in an interview.

According to Octaviano, the long line of people has already reached up to the Ortigas Center in EDSA. Those who came on cars, meanwhile, had to park their vehicles at the Virra Mall shopping center in Greenhills since there are no available parking inside La Salle. From there, they have to walk and either brave the rains or heat just to get to the long line.

A minor commotion broke out after a group of senior citizens belonging to the Catholic Women’s League managed to get near the entrance gate of the gymnasium after a person told them that senior citizens are being prioritized in the line. This irked other people who have been on the line for almost five hours.

Octaviano said they had to temporarily halt the entry of people into the gymnasium at about 11 a.m. because a mass was being held, forcing the people to wait for at least another two hours. Another mass was set to be held at 2 p.m.

“Actually, ang abiso sa amin eh mga disabled persons lang ang bibigyan ng priority para makapasok kagad sa loob ng gymnasium. We don’t know who told them (senior citizens) that they can enter immediately,” Octaviano explained.

“As much as possible, we want order sa pila ng tao kaya pinakiusapan namin sila ng maayos na bumalik sa dating pila para maiwasan ang gulo,” she said.

Among those who braved the rains to see the late president were Lerma V. Escasa and Ms. Arazel Tolpacio, both from Tarlac City, Tarlac.

According to Escasa, she felt extreme sadness after learning that Mrs. Aquino has died.

“Nalungkot talaga ako kasi napakabait niyang tao. Hindi ko matanggap na wala na siya,” the 62-year-old Escasa said.

Tolpacio said she was able to see first hand Mrs. Aquino’s kindness when she was given the chance to work on the Cojuanco’s Hacienda Luisita estate in the 80s. She also denied accusation’s that the Cojuancos were oppressive especially on the farmers there.

“Napakabait ni Mrs. Aquino lalo na samin dahil nabigyan nila ako ng pagkakataon makapag-trabaho. Hindi nga ako makakain sa tinding kalungkutan."

Lilian Perez Maristela, 57, from Paniqui, Tarlac, said that she was saddened to learn about Aquino’s death on Saturday and immediately went to Manila to pay her last respect.

“Nalulungkot ako dahil kababayan ko siya eh. Malaki rin ang pasasalamat namin sa kanya dahil kami ay nabigyan nila ng lupa noon kaya guminhawa ang aming buhay,” she said.