Cory aquino biography summary rubric
Corazon Aquino
President of the Philippines from to
In this Philippine name&#;for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is Sumulong, the birth surname or paternal family name is Cojuangco, and the marital name is Aquino.
Corazon Aquino | |
|---|---|
Aquino in | |
| In office February 25, &#;– June 30, | |
| Prime Minister | Salvador Laurel (Feb–Mar&#;) |
| Vice President | Salvador Laurel |
| Preceded by | Ferdinand Marcos |
| Succeeded by | Fidel V.
Ramos |
| Born | María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco ()January 25, Paniqui, Tarlac, Philippines[a] |
| Died | August 1, () (aged&#;76) Makati, Philippines |
| Resting place | Manila Memorial Park – Sucat, Parañaque, Philippines |
| Political party | PDP–Laban (–) |
| Other political affiliations | UNIDO (–88) |
| Spouse | Ninoy Aquino &#; &#; (m.&#;; died&#;)&#; |
| Children | |
| Parent | |
| Relatives | |
| Alma mater | College of Mount Saint Vincent (BA) Far Eastern University (no degree) |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Housewife Activist |
| Signature | |
| Website | |
| Nickname | Cory |
María Corazón"Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino[4]CCLH (Tagalog:[kɔɾaˈsɔnkɔˈhwaŋkɔaˈkino]; January 25, – August 1, ) was a Filipino politician who served as the 11th president of the Philippines from to She was the most prominent figure of the People Power Revolution, which ended the two-decade rule of President Ferdinand Marcos and led to the establishment of the current democratic Fifth Philippine Republic.
Aquino was married to SenatorBenigno Aquino Jr., who was one of the most prominent critics of President Marcos. After the assassination of her husband on August 21, , she emerged as leader of the opposition against the president. In late , Marcos called for a snap election, and Aquino ran for president with former Senator Salvador Laurel as her running mate for vice president.
After the election held on February 7, , the Batasang Pambansa proclaimed Marcos and his running mate Arturo Tolentino as the winners, which prompted allegations of electoral fraud and Aquino's call for massive civil disobedience actions. Subsequently, the People Power Revolution, a non-violentmass demonstration movement, took place from February 22 to The People Power Revolution, along with defections from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and support from the Philippine Catholic Church, ousted Marcos and secured Aquino's accession to the presidency on February 25, Prior to her election as president, Aquino had not held any elected office.
She was the first female president of the Philippines.
As president, Aquino oversaw the drafting of the Constitution, which limited the powers of the presidency and re-established the bicameralCongress, removing the previous dictatorial government structure. Her economic policies focused on forging good economic standing amongst the international community as well as disestablishing Marcos-era crony capitalist monopolies, emphasizing the free market and responsible economy.
Her administration pursued peace talks to resolve the Moro conflict, and the result of these talks was creation of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Aquino was criticized for the Mendiola Massacre, which resulted in the shooting deaths of at least 12 peaceful protesters by Philippine state security forces. The Philippines faced various natural calamities in the latter part of Aquino's administration, such as the Luzon earthquake, Mt.
Pinatubo eruption and Tropical Storm Thelma. Several coup attempts were made against her government. She was succeeded as president by Fidel V. Ramos and returned to civilian life in
Aquino was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in and died on August 1, Her son Benigno Aquino III served as president of the Philippines from to After her death, monuments were built and public landmarks were named in honor of Corazon Aquino all around the Philippines.
Aquino was regarded as the Mother of Democracy.[5][6][7][8]
Early life and education
María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco was born on January 25, , in Paniqui, Tarlac.[9] She was born to the prominent Cojuangco family.
Her father was José Cojuangco, a prominent Tarlac businessman and former congressman, and her mother was Demetria Sumulong, a pharmacist. Both of Aquino's parents were from prominent political families. Aquino's grandfather from her father's side, Melecio Cojuangco, was a member of the historic Malolos Congress, and Aquino's mother belonged to the politically influential Sumulong family of Rizal province, which included Juan Sumulong, who ran against Commonwealth President Manuel L.
Quezon in and Senator Lorenzo Sumulong, who was later appointed by Aquino in the Constitutional Commission. Aquino was the sixth of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. Her siblings were Pedro, Josephine, Teresita, Jose Jr., and Maria Paz.[10]
Aquino spent her elementary school days at St. Scholastica's College in Manila, where she graduated at the top of her class as valedictorian.
She transferred to Assumption Convent, then also in Manila, to pursue high school studies. After her family moved to the United States, she attended the Assumption-run Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia. She then transferred to Notre Dame Convent School in New York City, where she graduated from in During her high school years in the United States, Aquino volunteered for the campaign of U.S.
Republican presidential candidate Thomas Dewey against Democratic incumbent U.S. PresidentHarry S. Truman during the United States presidential election.[10] After graduating from high school, she pursued her college education at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York, graduating in with a major in French and minor in mathematics.
Wife of Benigno Aquino Jr.
After graduating from college, she returned to the Philippines and studied law at Far Eastern University in [11] While attending, she met Benigno "Ninoy" S. Aquino Jr., who was the son of the late Speaker Benigno S. Aquino Sr. and a grandson of General Servillano Aquino.
Cory aquino biography summary rubric grade Over 6, student activists, journalists, broadcasters, politicians, and entrepreneurs were also thrown into prisons and concentration camps. Testament from a Prison Cell. Many feared for Corazon Aquino's safety so she retired to a Carmelite monastery where the nuns assured her that the Marcos troops would have to "kill all of us before they do anything to you. Vincent College with a major in French inShe discontinued her law education and married Benigno at the Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in Pasay, Rizal on October 11, [12] The couple had five children: Maria Elena ("Ballsy"; born ), Aurora Corazon ("Pinky"; born ), Benigno Simeon III ("Noynoy"; –), Victoria Elisa ("Viel"; born ) and Kristina Bernadette ("Kris"; born ).[13][14]
Aquino had initially had difficulty adjusting to provincial life when she and her husband moved to Concepcion, Tarlac in Aquino found herself bored in Concepcion, and welcomed the opportunity to have dinner with her husband inside the American military facility at nearby Clark Field.[15] Afterwards, the Aquino family moved to a bungalow in suburban Quezon City.
Throughout her life, Aquino was known to be a devout Roman Catholic.[11]
Corazon Aquino was fluent in French, Japanese, Spanish, and English aside from her native Tagalog and Kapampangan.[11]
Benigno Aquino Jr., a member of the Liberal Party, rose to become the youngest governor in the country in and then the youngest senator ever elected to the Senate of the Philippines in For most of her husband's political career, Aquino remained a housewife who raised their children and hosted her spouse's political allies who would visit their Quezon City home.[16] She would decline to join her husband on stage during campaign rallies, instead preferring to be in the back of the audience and listen to him.[15] Unbeknownst to many at the time, Corazon Aquino sold some of her prized inheritance to fund the candidacy of her husband.
As Benigno Aquino Jr. emerged as a leading critic of the government of PresidentFerdinand Marcos, he became seen as a strong candidate for president to succeed Marcos in the elections. However, Marcos, who was barred by the Constitution to seek a third term, declared martial law on September 21, and later abolished the constitution, thereby allowing him to remain in office.
Benigno Aquino Jr. was among the first to be arrested at the onset of martial law, and was later sentenced to death. During her husband's incarceration, Corazon Aquino stopped going to beauty salons or buying new clothes and prohibited her children from attending parties, until a priest advised her and her children to try to live as normal lives as possible.[15]
Despite Corazon's initial opposition, Benigno Aquino Jr.
decided to run in the Batasang Pambansa elections from his prison cell as party leader of the newly created LABAN. Corazon Aquino campaigned on behalf of her husband and delivered a political speech for the first time in her life during this political campaign. In Benigno Aquino Jr. suffered a heart attack, and Marcos allowed Senator Aquino and his family to leave for exile in the United States upon intervention from U.S.
President Jimmy Carter so that Aquino could seek medical treatment.[17][18] The family settled in Boston, and Corazon Aquino would later recall the next three years as the happiest days of her marriage and family life.
On August 21, , Benigno Aquino Jr. ended his stay in the United States and returned without his family to the Philippines, where he was immediately assassinated on a staircase leading to the tarmac of Manila International Airport.
The airport is now named Ninoy Aquino International Airport, renamed by the Congress in his honor in Corazon Aquino returned to the Philippines a few days later and led her husband's funeral procession, in which more than two million people participated.[17]
Main article: Philippine presidential election
Following her husband's assassination in , Corazon Aquino became active in various demonstrations held against the Marcos regime.
She began to assume the mantle of leadership left by her husband and became a figurehead of the anti-Marcos political opposition. On November 3, , during an interview with American journalist David Brinkley on This Week with David Brinkley, Marcos suddenly announced snap elections that would be held within three months to dispel doubt against his regime's legitimate authority, an action that surprised the nation.[19] The election was later scheduled to be held on February 7, A petition was organized to urge Aquino to run for president, headed by former newspaper publisher Joaquin Roces.[20] On December 1, the petition of million signatures was publicly presented to Aquino in an event attended by 15, people, and on December 3, Aquino officially declared her candidacy.[21]United Opposition (UNIDO) party leader Salvador Laurel was chosen as Aquino's running mate as candidate for vice president.
During the campaign, Marcos attacked Corazon Aquino on her husband's previous ties to communists,[22] characterizing the election as a fight "between democracy and communism".[23] Aquino refuted Marcos' charge and stated that she would not appoint a single communist to her cabinet.[24] Marcos also accused Aquino of playing "political football" with the United States in regards to the continued United States military presence in the Philippines at Clark Air Base and Subic Naval Base.[25] Another point of attack for Marcos was Aquino's inexperience in public office.
Marcos' campaign was characterized by sexist attacks, such as remarks by Marcos that Aquino was "just a woman" and that a woman's remarks should be limited to the bedroom.[26][17]
The snap election was held on February 7, , and was marred by massive electoral fraud, violence, intimidation, coercion, and disenfranchisement of voters.
On February 11, while votes were still being tabulated, former Antique Governor Evelio Javier, who had been director of Aquino's campaign in Antique, was assassinated. During the tallying of votes conducted by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), 30 poll computer technicians walked out to contest the alleged election-rigging being done in favor of Marcos.
Years later it was claimed that the walkout of computer technicians was led by Linda Kapunan,[27] wife of Lt Col Eduardo Kapunan, a leader of Reform the Armed Forces Movement that plotted to attack the Malacañang Palace and kill Marcos and his family, leading to a partial reevaluation of the walkout event.[28][29]
On February 15, , the Batasang Pambansa, which was dominated by Marcos' ruling party and its allies, declared President Marcos as the winner of the election.
However, NAMFREL's electoral count showed that Corazon Aquino had won.
Cory aquino biography summary rubric pdf About this article Aquino, Corazon — Updated About encyclopedia. In the early s, money was tight and Corazon moved the family to a smaller home and even sold part of the land she had inherited in order to fund his campaign. She did not get to see her son Noynoy elected president; he took power on June 30, But the Marcos regime with its usual "guns, goons and gold" made a mockery of Philippine democracy, "winning" 89 out of seats.Aquino claimed victory according to NAMFREL's electoral count and called for a rally dubbed "Tagumpay ng Bayan" (People's Victory Rally) the following day to protest the declaration by the Batasang Pambansa.[30] Aquino also called for boycotts against products and services from companies controlled or owned by individuals closely allied with Marcos.
The rally was held at the historic Rizal Park in Luneta, Manila and drew a pro-Aquino crowd of around two million people. The dubious election results drew condemnation from both domestic and foreign powers. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines issued a statement strongly criticizing the conduct of the election, describing the election as violent and fraudulent.
The United States Senate likewise condemned the election.[16][31] Aquino rejected a power-sharing agreement proposed by the American diplomat Philip Habib, who had been sent as an emissary by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to help defuse the tension.[31]
Main article: People Power Revolution
On February 22, , disgruntled and reformist military officers led by Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and General Fidel V.
Ramos surprised the nation and the international community by the announcement of their defection from the Marcos government, citing a strong belief that Aquino was the real winner in the contested presidential election. Enrile, Ramos, and the rebel soldiers then set up operations in Camp Aguinaldo, the headquarters of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and Camp Crame, the headquarters of the Philippine Constabulary, across Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA).
Cardinal Sin appealed to the public in a broadcast over Church-run Radyo Veritas, and millions of Filipinos gathered to the part of Epifanio De Los Santos Avenue between the two camps to give their support and prayers to the rebels.[32] At that time, Aquino was meditating in a Carmelite convent in Cebu.
Upon learning of the defection, Aquino and Cardinal Sin appeared on Radyo Veritas to rally behind Enrile and Ramos. Aquino then flew back to Manila to prepare for the takeover of the government.
Aquino was sworn in as the eleventh president of the Philippines on February 25, An hour after Aquino's inauguration, Marcos held his own inauguration ceremony at the Malacañang Palace.
Later that same day, Ferdinand E. Marcos fled from the Philippines to Hawaii.[33]
Main article: Presidency of Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino's accession to the presidency marked the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines. Aquino is the first female president of the Philippines and is still the only president of the Philippines to have never held any prior political position.
Aquino is regarded as the first female president in Asia.
Transitional government and creation of new constitution
On February 25, , the first day of her administration, Aquino issued Proclamation No. 1, which announced an intention to reorganize the government and called on all officials appointed by Marcos to resign, starting with members of the Supreme Court.[34] On March 25, , President Aquino issued Proclamation No.
3, which announced a transitional government into a democratic system. She abolished the Constitution that was in force during the martial law era, and by decree issued the provisional Freedom Constitution, pending the ratification of a more formal and comprehensive charter. This constitutional allowed her to exercise both executive and legislative powers during the period of transitional government.
After the issuance of Proclamation No. 1, all 15 members of the Supreme Court submitted their resignations.[35] Aquino then reorganized the membership of the Supreme Court with the stated purpose of restoring its judicial independence. On May 22, , in the case Lawyers League v. President Aquino, the reorganized Supreme Court declared the Aquino government as "not merely a de facto government but in fact and law a de jure government", and affirmed its legitimacy.[36]
Aquino appointed all 48 members of the Constitutional Commission ("Con-Com"), led by retired activist and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muñoz-Palma, which was tasked with writing a new constitution.
The Commission completed its final draft of the Constitution in October [37]
On February 2, , the Constitution of the Philippines was ratified by nationwide plebiscite. It remains the constitution of the Philippines to the present day. The Constitution established a bill of rights and a three-branch government consisting of the executive department, the legislative department, and the judicial department.
The Constitution restored the bicameral Congress, which in had been abolished by Marcos and replaced with first the Batasang Bayan and later the Batasang Pambansa.[38] The ratification of the new Constitution was soon followed by the election of senators and the election of House of Representatives members on May 11, , as well as local elections on January 18,
Legal reforms
After the ratification of the constitution, Aquino promulgated two landmark legal codes, namely, the Family Code of , which reformed the civil law on family relations, and the Administrative Code of , which reorganized the structure of the executive department of government.
Another landmark law that was enacted during her tenure was the Local Government Code, which devolved national government powers to local government units (LGUs). The new Code enhanced the power of LGUs to enact local taxation measures and assured them of a share in the national revenue.
During Aquino's tenure, vital economic laws such as the Built-Operate-Transfer Law, Foreign Investments Act, and the Consumer Protection and Welfare Act were also enacted.
Socio-economic policies
The economy posted a positive growth of % during Aquino's first year in office, and continued to grow at an overall positive rate throughout her tenure for an average rate of % from to Real GDP growth suffered a % decrease in in the aftermath of the coup attempt by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, which shook international confidence in the Philippine economy and hindered foreign investment.
Aquino made fighting inflation one of her priorities after the nation suffered from skyrocketing prices during the last years of the Marcos administration. The last six years of the Marcos administration recorded an average annual inflation rate of %, which peaked in at %. From to , the Philippines recorded an average annual inflation rate of %.
During the Aquino administration, the annual inflation rate peaked at % in ; a stated reason for this increase was panic buying during the Gulf War.[42][43] Overall, the economy under Aquino had an average growth of % from to [44]
De-monopolization
One of Aquino's first actions as president was to seize Marcos' multi-billion dollar fortune of ill-gotten wealth.
On February 28, , four days into her presidency, Aquino formed the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was tasked with retrieving Marcos' domestic and international fortune.
After his declaration of martial law in and his consolidation of authoritarian power, President Ferdinand Marcos issued various government decrees that awarded monopoly or oligopoly power over entire industries to various close associates, in a scheme later regarded as crony capitalism.[45] President Aquino pursued a market liberalization agenda to combat this problem.
President Aquino particularly targeted the sugar industry and the coconut industry for de-monopolization.
Debt
Throughout the tenure of President Ferdinand Marcos, government foreign debt had ballooned from less than $3 billion in to $28 billion by the end of his administration, through privatization of bad government assets and deregulation of many vital industries.
The debt had badly tarnished the international credit standing and economic reputation of the country.
President Aquino inherited the debt of the Marcos administration and weighed all options on what to do with the debt, including not paying the debt. Aquino eventually chose to honor all the debts that were previously incurred in order to clear the country's economic reputation.
Her decision proved to be unpopular but Aquino defended it, saying that was the most practical move. Beginning in , the Aquino administration paid off $4 billion of the country's outstanding debts to improve its international credit ratings and attract the attention of foreign investors. This move also ensured lower interest rates and longer payment terms for future loans.
During the Aquino administration, the Philippines acquired an additional $9 billion debt, increasing the net national debt by $5 billion within six years due to the need to infuse capital and money into the economy.[46] The Aquino administration was able to reduce the Philippines' external debt-to-GDP ratio by percent, from percent at the start of the administration to percent in [47]
Agrarian reform
See also: Land reform in the Philippines
President Aquino envisioned agrarian and land reform as the centerpiece of her administration's social legislative agenda.
However, her family background and social class as a privileged daughter of a wealthy and landed clan became a lightning rod of criticisms against her land reform agenda.
After the Mendiola Massacre and in response to calls for agrarian reform, President Aquino issued Presidential Proclamation and Executive Order on July 22, , which outlined her land reform program, including sugar lands.
In , with the backing of Aquino, the new Congress of the Philippines passed Republic Act No. , more popularly known as the "Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law" (CARP), which paved the way for the redistribution of agricultural lands from landowners to tenant-farmers. Landowners were paid in exchange by the government through just compensation, and were also not allowed to retain more than five hectares of land.[48]:&#;Section 6&#; The law also allowed corporate landowners to "voluntarily divest a proportion of their capital stock, equity or participation in favor of their workers or other qualified beneficiaries", in lieu of turning over their land to the government for redistribution.[48]:&#;Section 31&#; Despite the flaws in the law, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in , declaring that the implementation of CARP was "a revolutionary kind of expropriation".[49]
Corazon Aquino herself was subject to a controversy that centered on Hacienda Luisita, a 6,hectare estate located in the province of Tarlac which she and her siblings inherited from her father José Cojuangco.
Instead of land distribution, Hacienda Luisita reorganized itself into a corporation and distributed stock. As such, ownership of agricultural portions of the hacienda was transferred to the corporation, which in turn, gave its shares of stocks to farmers. Critics argued that Aquino bowed to pressure from relatives by allowing stock redistribution in lieu of land redistribution under CARP.[50]
The stock redistribution scheme was revoked in , when the Department of Agrarian Reform ordered the mandatory redistribution of land to tenant-farmers of Hacienda Luisita.
The Department of Agrarian Reform had looked into its revocation since , when violence erupted in the hacienda over the retrenchment of workers, leaving seven people dead.[50]
Coup attempts on Aquino government
Main article: – Philippine coup attempts
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From to numerous coup attempts were enacted on the Aquino administration and the new Philippine government. Many of these attempts were conducted by the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, who attempted to establish a military government, while other attempts were conducted by loyalists to former President Marcos.
Mendiola massacre and cabinet infighting
Main article: Mendiola Massacre
On January 22, , during the era of transition government and shortly before the nationwide plebiscite to ratify the Constitution, 12 citizens were killed and 51 were injured in the Mendiola Massacre. The incident was initially a peaceful protest by agrarian workers and farmers who had marched to the historic Mendiola Street near the Malacañan Palace to demand genuine land reform.
The massacre occurred when Marines fired at farmers who tried to go beyond the designated demarcation line set by the police.[51] The massacre resulted in several resignations from Aquino's cabinet, including Jose W. Diokno, head of the Presidential Committee on Human Rights, chairman of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), and chairman of the government panel in charge of negotiations with rebel forces resigned from his government posts.
His daughter Maris said, "It was the only time we saw him near tears."[52]
In September , Vice President Doy Laurel resigned as secretary of foreign affairs. In his resignation letter to Aquino, Laurel stated, "the past years of Marcos are now beginning to look no worse than your first two years in office. And the reported controversies and scandals involving your closest relatives have become the object of our people's outrage.
From 16, NPA regular when Marcos fell, the communists now claim an armed strength of 25, From city to countryside, anarchy has spread.
There is anarchy within the government, anarchy within the ruling coalesced parties and anarchy in the streets."[53]
Finance Minister Jaime Ongpin, who had successfully advocated for paying external debt incurred during Marcos' administration, was dismissed by Aquino in September and later died in an apparent suicide in December [54] His widow stated that he had been depressed due to infighting in Aquino's cabinet and lack of significant change since the People Power Revolution.[55]
Soon after the Mendiola Massacre, the Aquino administration and Congress worked to pass significant agrarian reform, which culminated in the passage of the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARP).
Peace talks with Moro and communist insurgencies
See also: Moro conflict and Communist rebellion in the Philippines
President Aquino conducted peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), an armed MoroMuslim insurgency group that sought to establish an independent Moro state within Mindanao. Aquino met with MNLF leader Nur Misuari and various MNLF groups in Sulu.
In , the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) was created under Republic Act No. or the ARMM Organic Act, which established the Moro majority areas in the Mindanao island group as an autonomous region with its own government.[56] The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao lasted from to , after which it was succeeded by the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The establishment of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao was opposed by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), a militant splinter group from the MNLF that sought to secede from the Philippines to establish an Islamic state in Mindanao.[57] Peace talks with MILF began in under President Fidel Ramos and violent insurgency officially continued until , when peace accords were formally signed between MILF and the administration of President Benigno Aquino III that would lead to the creation of the BARMM.[58]
The establishment of the ARMM also led to the establishment of Abu Sayyaf, a terrorist group founded in by Abdurajak Abubakar Janjalani and composed of radical former members of the MNLF.
Terrorist attacks by Abu Sayyaf would start in and continue to the present day, including the bombing of the MV Superferry 14 that resulted in the deaths of people.[59]
Shortly after becoming president, Aquino ordered the release of hundreds of political prisoners imprisoned during the Marcos era, including communist insurgents belonging to the Communist Party of the Philippines.
These releases included leaders such as Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Maria Sison and New People's Army founder Bernabe Buscayno,[60] which the military strongly resisted.[61] Preliminary peace talks with the CPP ended after the Mendiola Massacre on January 22, , during which at least 12 farmers were killed at a protest rally.[62][63]
Closing of United States military bases
Soon after Aquino took office, several Philippine senators declared that the presence of U.S.
military forces in the Philippines was an affront to national sovereignty. The senators called for the United States military to vacate U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay and Clark Air Base, and Aquino opposed their demand.[64] The United States objected by stating that they had leased the property and that the leases were still in effect.[65] The United States stated that the facilities at Subic Bay were unequaled anywhere in Southeast Asia and a U.S.
pullout could make all of that region of the world vulnerable to an incursion by the Soviet Union or by a resurgent Japan. Another issue with the demand was that thousands of Filipinos worked at these military facilities and they would lose their jobs if the U.S. military moved out. Aquino opposed the Senate's demand and believed that the bases should have remained.
Aquino organized a protest against the pullout, which only gathered between , and , supporters, far short of the , to 1 million that had been originally expected.[66]
The matter was still being debated when Mount Pinatubo erupted in June , covering the entire area with volcanic ash. Despite attempts to continue the Subic Base, Aquino finally conceded.
In December , the government served notice that the U.S. had to close the base by the end of [67]
Natural disasters and calamities
On December 20, , the MV Doña Paz sank after a collision with the oil tanker MV Vector. The final death toll exceeded 4, people, and the sinking has been called the deadliest peacetime maritime disaster of the 20th century.[68] In the aftermath, Aquino addressed the incident as "a national tragedy of harrowing proportions".[69]
The Luzon earthquake was a magnitude earthquake that struck the island of Luzon.
It left an estimate of 1, people dead and massive property damage.
In , a volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo, then thought to be dormant, killed around people and caused widespread long-term devastation of agricultural lands in Central Luzon.[70] Around 20, residents had to be evacuated and around 10, people were left homeless by the event.
It was the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century.
On November 1, Tropical Storm Thelma (also known as Typhoon Uring) caused massive flooding in Ormoc City, leaving around 5, dead in what was then considered to be the deadliest typhoon in Philippine history.
Cory aquino biography summary As the presidential elections drew closer, Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos felt threatened by the young leader's growing popularity. Even the insurgency of the New People's Army appeared to be on the wane. When she failed to deter him, she tried bribery, offering to set up a business for the family in the United States. Aquino herself was from a wealthy and influential Chinese mestizo family, the Cojuangcos, which owned a 6, hectare hacienda.On November 8, Aquino declared all of Leyte a disaster area.[71]
Electrical power grid inadequacy
During Aquino's presidency, electric blackouts became common in Manila. The city experienced 7–12 hours-long blackouts, which severely affected its businesses. By the departure of Aquino in June , businesses in Manila and nearby provinces had lost nearly $ million since the preceding March.
Corazon Aquino's decision to deactivate the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP), which was built during the Marcos administration, contributed to further electricity crises in the s, as the megawatts capacity of the plant would have been enough to cover the shortfall at that time.[72] Critics of the BNPP had stated that the power plant was unsafe, and cited the millions of dollars in bribes paid to President Marcos to allow its construction.[72] The administration had failed to provide for an adequate replacement for the plant before her term had completed, and President Corazon Aquino ended her term in with the country reeling under a severe power shortage crisis.[73][74]
The Constitution limited the president to a single six-year term with no possibility of re-election.
As the end of her presidency drew near, close advisers and friends told Aquino that since she was not inaugurated under the Constitution, her term beginning , she was still 'eligible' to seek the presidency again in the upcoming elections, the first presidential elections held under normal and peaceful circumstances since However, Aquino firmly declined the requests for her to seek reelection, citing her strong belief that the presidency was not a lifetime position.
Initially, she named Ramon V. Mitra, Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives who had been a friend of her husband, as her preferred candidate for the presidential elections. However, she later backtracked and instead supported the candidacy of General Fidel V. Ramos, who was her defense secretary and a key figure in the EDSA Revolution.
Ramos had consistently stood by her government during the various coup attempts that were launched against her administration. Her sudden change of mind and withdrawal of support from Mitra drew criticism from her supporters in the liberal and social democratic sectors.
Cory aquino biography in filipino: All ages and social classes were represented, the poor arriving in the gaudy jeepneys unique to the Philippines, the rich in their chauffeured cars. Ramos, deputy chief of staff, seized important military bases. In , Corazon Aquino publicly campaigned for her son Noynoy when he ran for the Senate. Like her fellow Filipinos, Corazon Aquino was shocked by her husband's murder.
Her decision also drew criticism from the Catholic Church, which questioned her support of Ramos due to his being a Protestant. General Ramos won the elections with % of the total votes in a wide-open campaign.
On June 30, , Corazon Aquino formally and peacefully handed over power to Fidel Ramos. On that day, Fidel V.
Ramos was inaugurated as the twelfth president of the Philippines. After the inauguration, Aquino left the ceremony in a simple white Toyota Crown she had purchased, rather than the lavish government-issued Mercedes-Benz in which she and Ramos had ridden on the way to the ceremonies, to make the point that she was once again an ordinary citizen.[75]
Administration and cabinet
Main article: Presidency of Corazon Aquino §&#;Administration and cabinet
Domestic
During Aquino's retirement and stay as a private citizen, she remained active in the Philippine political scene.
Aquino would voice her dissent to government actions and policies that she deemed threats to the democratic foundations of the country.
In , Aquino, together with Cardinal Jaime Sin, led a rally opposing President Fidel Ramos' attempt to extend his term through his proposal to amend the Constitution's restriction on presidential term limits.
Ramos' proposed charter change would fail, leaving term limits and the presidential system in place.
During the Philippine presidential election, Aquino endorsed the candidacy of former police general and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim from the Liberal Party for president. Lim would lose to Vice President Joseph Estrada, who won by a landslide.[76] In , Aquino and Cardinal Jaime Sin again worked together to oppose a second plan to amend the Constitution to remove term limits, this time under President Estrada.
President Estrada stated that his plan to amend the Constitution was intended to lift provisions that 'restrict' economic activities and investments, and Estrada denied that it was an attempt to extend his stay in office.
Cory aquino biography summary rubric Corazon Aquino was sworn in as president of the Philippines at mid-morning on February 25, , at the Club Filipino, a prestigious social club in Manila's exclusive suburb of Green-hills. In the months that followed, she always wore yellow—a powerful symbol of her husband's tragically aborted struggle for democracy. She put aside canned speeches provided by her staff and began to speak of her hopes for the future in simple, personal terms. She passed on August 1,Estrada's proposed charter change would also fail.
In , Aquino joined the mounting calls for Estrada to resign from office, amid a series of corruption scandals, including strong allegations of bribery charges and gambling kickbacks. Estrada was impeached by the House of Representatives in November but acquitted by the Senate in December, which in January led to the Second EDSA Revolution, which ousted Estrada.
During the Second EDSA Revolution, Aquino enthusiastically supported the ascendancy of Vice President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to the position of president.[77] In the subsequent trial of Joseph Estrada, Estrada was acquitted of perjury but found guilty of plunder and sentenced to reclusion perpetua with the accessory penalties of perpetual disqualification from public office and forfeiture of ill-gotten wealth on September 12, Estrada was pardoned by President Macapagal-Arroyo on October 26,
In , after a series of revelations and exposes that implicated President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in rigging the presidential elections, Aquino called on Arroyo to resign in order to prevent bloodshed, violence and further political deterioration.[78] Aquino once again led massive street-level demonstrations, this time demanding the resignation of President Arroyo.[79]
During the senatorial elections, Aquino actively campaigned for her only son, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III, who went on to win his race.
Less than a year after Corazon Aquino's death in , Benigno Aquino III won the Philippine presidential election and served as the 15th president of the Philippines from to
In December , Corazon Aquino publicly expressed regret for her participation in the Second EDSA Revolution, which installed Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as president.
She apologized to former President Joseph Estrada for the role she played in his ouster in [80] Aquino's apology drew criticisms from numerous politicians.[81] In June , two months before her death, Aquino issued a public statement in which she strongly denounced and condemned the Arroyo administration's plans of amending the Constitution, calling it a "shameless abuse of power".
International
Shortly after leaving the presidency, Aquino traveled abroad, giving speeches and lectures on issues of democracy, development, human rights, and women empowerment. At the meeting of the UNESCO World Commission on Culture and Development in Manila, Aquino delivered a speech urging the unconditional release of Burmese democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi from detention.[citation needed] She petitioned for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi.[82]
Aquino was a member of the Council of Women World Leaders, an international organization of former and current female heads of state, from the group's inception in to her death.[citation needed]
In , Aquino attended the wake and funeral of Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, whom she met during the latter's visit in Manila in [83] In , Aquino joined the international community in mourning the death of Pope John Paul II.[84]
In , Aquino became the first woman named to the Board of Governors at the Asian Institute of Management, a leading graduate business school and think tank in the Asia Pacific region.[85] She served on the Board until [86]
Charitable and social initiatives
After her term as president, Aquino was involved in several charitable activities and socio-economic initiatives.
From until her death, Aquino was chairperson of the Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Foundation, which she set up in her husband's honor after his assassination in Aquino supported the Gawad Kalinga social housing project for the poor and homeless. In , Aquino helped establish the PinoyME Foundation, a non-profit organization that aims to provide microfinancing programs and projects for the poor.
Aquino also painted and would occasionally give away her paintings to friends and family or auction her paintings and donate the proceeds to charity. She never sold her art for her own profit.[87]
Illness and death
Main article: Death and funeral of Corazon Aquino
On March 24, , Aquino's family announced that the former president had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Upon her being earlier informed by her doctors that she had only three months to live,[88] she pursued medical treatment and chemotherapy. A series of healing Masses for Aquino, who was a devout Catholic, were held throughout the country for her recovery. In a public statement during one healing Mass on May 13, , Aquino said that her blood tests indicated that she was responding well to treatment, although her hair and appetite loss were apparent.[89]
By July , Aquino was reported to be suffering from loss of appetite and in very serious condition.
At that time she was confined to Makati Medical Center.[90] It was later announced that Aquino and her family had decided to stop chemotherapy and other medical interventions for her.[91][92]
Aquino died in the Makati Medical Center at &#;a.m. on August 1, , due to cardiorespiratory arrest at the age of [93]