The funeral will be held on Wednesday where the former President will be buried beside her late husband, Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. at the Manila Memorial Park.

Lorelei Fajardo, a deputy presidential spokesperson said that the declaration of Wednesday as a special non-working holiday will allow the whole nation to witness the moments before Cory is brought to her final resting place, radio dzMM reported.

A mass will be held at 9 a.m. at the Manila Cathedral before the burial.

He also said that the current President Gloria Arroyo has to cut short her United States trip just to attend Aquino’s funeral service on August 5. She expected to leave New York for Manila on Saturday (Sunday in the Philippines).

The president declared a 10-day period of national mourning (Aug. 1 to Aug. 10) to pay tribute for the death of Aquino through Proclamation No. 1850.

At the age of 76, Corazon Aquino died for a colon cancer last Saturday at 3:18 a.m. Her body lies at the La Salle Green Hills (LSGH) gymnasium in Mandaluyong City.

The schedule for public viewing began at 5 p.m. of Saturday and will continue until Monday. The daily viewing schedule will be until 4 a.m., and will resume at 7 a.m.