CORAZON
C. AQUINO
"As I came to power
peacefully, so shall I keep it."
Born: January 25, 1933
Position in History: Philippines: 11th President, Fourth Republic: 2nd
President, Fifth Republic: 1st President
Presidential Term: February 25, 1986 - June 30, 1992
Duration of Term: 2317 days
Corazon C. Aquino, the first lady president of the Philippines was born
in Tarlac, the eighth child to Don Jose Cojuangco and Doña
Demetria Sumulong. She was born in into a wealthy family and attended
St. Scholastica's College. Her family then moved to the US in 1946 and
Aquino enrolled at Raven Hill Academy, Philadelphia and Notre Dame
Convent School, New York for her high school education. In 1949, she
entered at Mount St. Vincent College in New York City and finished with
a Bachelor of Arts, major in French. Corazon Aquino returned to the
Philippines in 1953 and although she took up law in the Far Eastern
University, she abandoned her studies in 1955 to marry Benigno "Ninoy"
Aquino, a promising young politician. Aquino was content to live in her
husband's shadow as a housewife and mother to their five children.
After the assassination of her husband, Ninoy Aquino, Corazon declared
her candidacy for president against President Marcos in the 1986
elections. The election fraud that took place resulted in Marcos being
declared the winner. Aquino and her followers challenged the election
fraud and with the military defect and support from Juan Ponce Enrile
and Fidel Ramos, Marcos was forced to flee the country in what became
known as the EDSA Revolution. Shortly thereafter, she proclaimed what
became known as the Freedom Constitution which was a temporary measure
until a new constitution could be written. A new constitution was
approved and proclaimed in 1987.
As the president, Aquino held some peace talks to prevent further
Muslim and communist insurgency, however, her term was punctured by six
military coup attempts between 1987 - 1989, disagreements over foreign
debts and with the US over military bases. Although she restored
democracy to the Philippines, the economic situation was never really
resolved. Aquino refused to run in the 1992 elections and gave way to
her chosen candidate, Fidel Ramos.
Corazon Aquino has received a number of awards and degrees including
Doctor of Humanities, Woman of the Year, Time magazine, the Eleanor
Roosevelt Human Rights Award, the United Nations Silver Medal, Canadian
International Prize for Freedom and from the Women's International
Centre, the International Leadership Living Legacy Award.
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