MANILA — Actress-host Kris Aquino remembered her father, the slain former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr., on his death anniversary, not as a democracy icon but as “my dad” with whom she had only “three years of borrowed time.”

Kris, the youngest of Ninoy’s five children with the late former president Corazon Aquino, shared on social media a photo of her “first winter in Boston” with both her parents.

Aquino, 49, said she was only a year and 7 months old when her father was imprisoned under the Marcos regime. He was behind bars from 1972 until 1980, when the Aquino patriarch went on self-exile in the US with his family.

In 1983, he was assassinated upon his return to the Philippines.

In her post remembering her father, Kris recalled that her dad “worked hard to win my love.” At the time, when Ninoy reunited with Kris in the States, she was already 9 years old.

Kris recounted fondly that Ninoy made it a point to be present at all her school events. They also had their own father-and-daughter dates, from book-shopping to movie nights.

She also credited him as instrumental in believing in her ability to realize her dreams.

“From my parents I have learned that the strength and resiliency of our children, and their determination to work hard to fulfill their ambitions will come from the love and encouragement they saw in the eyes of their parents,” she wrote.

“Thanks to my Dad for allowing me to believe that my dreams could and would come true, because looking back, almost everything we ever discussed — they did come true.”

Kris’ full statement follows: