Corazon C. Aquino who is popularly known as g Cory Aquino was the eleventh president of the Republic of the Philippines and was the first woman president of the country as well as Asia. She was the widow of the late Senator Benigno Aquino whose assassination in 1983 triggered the political unrest which culminated in the bloodless revolution.
Childhood and Education
María Corazón "Cory" Cojuangco Aquino was born on January 25, 1933 in Tarlac in a rich Cojuangco clam. Her father was Jose Cojuangco while her mother was Demetria Sumulong. She was the fourth in the family of six siblings, namely; Pedro, Josephine Reyes, Teresita Lopa, Jose Jr., and Maria Paz Teopaco. She studied in St. Scholastica and Assumption Convent of Manila. She studied abroad in the Ravenhill Academy of Philadelphia and Notre Dame Convent School both in New York and the College of Mount Saint Vincent. She finished Bachelors of Arts major in French Language and minor in Mathematics in the year 1953.
Married Life
She was studying in law in FEU when she stopped to marry Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr. in 1954.
They had five children, four daughters and a son. They are Ma. Elena A.Cruz, Aurora Corazon A. Abellada, Victoria Eliza A. Dee, Kristina A. Yap better known as Kris Aquino, the actress and TV host and Benigno Aquino III or Noynoy who was elected Senator of the Philippines.
She remained plain housewife while her husband Ninoy Aquino became a mayor at age 22 and governor of Tarlac. He became the youngest senator when elected in 1967.
When martial law was declared by President Ferdinand Marcos in September 1972, Ninoy Aquino was among those who were arrested and sentenced to death.
He was allowed together with the family to fly to Boston for health reason. The family stayed there for three years.
Cory Aquino was not with Ninoy Aquino when he returned and was assassinated in the Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983.
Cory Aquino returned to the Philippines to bury her husband with two million people in attendance.
Life as a President
Cory Aquino became active in the protests against Marcos. After a compromise was reached with the political party of Salvador Laurel, she was drafted to run in the snap presidential election when against Marcos.
Although Comelec declared President Ferdinand Marcos as the winner, the tally of Namfrel showed otherwise.
On February 22, 1986, Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos severed their loyalties from the Marcos administration. People power were called to protect the two who were holed up in a military camp.
On February 25, 1986, President Corazon Aquino was sworn in as President of the Philippines at the Club Filipino while Marcos took his oath in the Malacanan Palace.
That night, Marcos family fled with the help of the US government to Hawaii.
Kahit nanalo si Marcos sa bilangan ng COMELEC, nagpapakita naman ng ibang bilang ang NAMFREL.
Nang Pebrero 22, 1986, inilunsad ang People Power matapos na humiwalay sina Juan Ponce Enrile at Fidel Ramos sa administrasyon ni Marcos.
Life as President
She received numerous awards during the first year of her administration; among this was the Woman of the Year of the Time Magazine.
She signed the Comprehensive Agrarian Reforn which mandated the distribution of land to farmers/tenants.
She was severely criticized when her family's landholdings were exempted because it was a corporate farm.
It was also during her administration when the Constitution in 1935 was replaced by the new Constution which was drawn by the Constitutional Convention and was ratified in a plebiscite.
Her governance was considered poltically unstable as coups after coups were made by the dissatisfied military people.
Nature calamities brought havoc to the country during her term. There was the strong earthquake in Baguio, the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and the storm that sunk a ferry with hundreds pf people.
Life after the presidency
Life After presidency
Cory Aquino endorsed Alfredo lim during the 1992 presidential election. He place fifth.
She became active in the protests against the Arroyo government. She was criticized when she apologized to ex-President Estrada for joining the People Pwer 2.
She was diagnosed with cancer in March 2008.
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