Corazon Aquino

Corazon Aquino married Benigno S. Aquino Jr in 1954. The couple had five children; Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Benigno Simeon III, Victoria Elisa and Kristina Bernadette. Among them, Benigno Simeon III later joined politics and in 2010, became the country’s fifteenth president.

On March 24, 2008, it was announced that the Corazon Aquino had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She underwent chemotherapy. However, by July 2009, her condition became acute and the chemotherapy was stopped. She died from cardiac arrest on August 1, 2009 at the age of 76.

Today, Corazon Aquino is fondly remembered as the ‘Mother of Philippine Democracy’ by many Filipinos. Many international observers have also hailed her as the modern day Joan of Arc.

Maria Corazon Aquino was born on January 25, 1933, in the Intramuros region of Manila in an influential and wealthy family based in Tarlac Province of Philippine. Her father, Jose Cojuangco y Chichioco, Sr, was a well-known businessman and a politician while her mother, Demetria, was a scion of influential Sumulong family.

Maria, lovingly called Cory, had five brothers and sister; Pedro, Josephine, Teresita, Jose, Jr. and Maria Paz. She began her education at St. Scholastica's College in Manila and then shifted to Assumption Convent, also in Manila.

When she turned thirteen, she was sent to the United States of America for further schooling. In USA, Maria Cory was first admitted to Ravenhill Academy of Philadelphia. Later, she was transferred to Notre Dame School of Manhattan and finished her secondary education from there.

Next she enrolled at College of Mount Saint Vincent, Catholic liberal art college located in New York. Maria Cory graduated from there with a degree in mathematics and French, in 1953. She then returned to the Philippines and enrolled at Far Eastern University of Manila. However, she gave up her studies within a year to marry Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. in 1954.

Sometime in 1955, the couple moved to Concepcion. From now on, Maria Corazon Aquino began to lead the life of an average Pilipino homemaker, supporting her husband, Benigno Aquino in his every move.

Though at the time of their marriage Benigno Aquino worked as a journalist later he began to take interest in politics and quickly rose through ranks to become the nation’s youngest vice governor at the age of 27 (1959) and the governor of Tarlac Province at 29 (1961).

In 1967, Benigno became the nation’s youngest Senator. It is said that, to support his candidacy, Corazon voluntarily sold many heirlooms. On becoming Senator, Benigno Aquino became a vocal critic of President Marcos and was considered to be a strong candidate for 1973 presidential election.

In 1972, Marcos declared martial law and arrested leading politicians, including Benigno. This forced Corazon to come out of her home. She became Benigno’s links with the outside world, never allowing his name to be forgotten.

After a long and biased trail, on November 25, 1977, Benigno was sentenced to death by firing squad. However, for some reasons, it was not carried out immediately.

Corazon Aquino took oath as the eleventh President of Philippines on February 25, 1986. On February 28, she set up Presidential Commission on Good Government, whose main task was to investigate and recover the ill-gotten wealth accumulated by previous regime.

She abolished the 1973 constitution in operation during the martial rule and proclaimed the provisional Freedom Constitution in 1986. At the same time, she appointed a commission to write a new constitution, which was ratified in 1987.

In 1987, Aquino government restored the bicameral Congress, abolished during Marcos’ regime. She also held the election to the new Congress and promulgated ‘The Family Code, 1987 and Administrative Code 1987.

She also broke the monopoly of the followers of Marcos over the country’s economy and was able to usher in limited economical and agricultural reforms. Although it improved the economic condition of the country to some extent, her policies were criticized as faltering and her popularity began to decrease.

However, one has to appreciate that the situation was very difficult for President Aquino. She had to face problems in every sector. The economy was in ruins. In addition to US$ 28 billion of foreign debts left by the previous regime, she also had to tackle mass poverty.