The Life of President

MARIA
CORAZON
COJUANGCO
AQUINO
• 11th President of the Philippines
• First Female President
• 2nd President of the Republic of
the Philippines
 BASIC INFORMATIONS :
• Born on January 25, 1933 in Paniqui, Tarlac
• Her parents were Jose Chichioco Cojuangco and
Demetria "Metring" Sumulong, and the family were
of mixed Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish descent.
The family surname is a Spanish version of the
Chinese name "Koo Kuan Goo.“
• Her husband is Benigno Aquino Jr.
• Five children : Maria Elena "Ballsy" Aquino-Cruz,
Aurora Corazon "Pinky" Abellada, Victoria Elisa
"Viel" Aquino-Dee, Kristina Bernadette "Kris"
Aquino, and Benigno Simeon Aquino III
• The Cojuangcos owned a sugar plantation
covering 15,000 acres, and were among the
wealthiest families in the province. Cory was the
couple's sixth child of eight..
• In March of 2008, Aquino announced that she
had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Despite aggressive treatment, she passed away
on August 1, 2009, at the age of 76.
• Her siblings were Pedro, Josephine, Teresita,
José, Jr. and María Paz
• Her father was a prominent Tarlac
businessman and politician, and her great-
grandfather, Melecio Cojuangco, was a
member of the historic Malolos Congress. Her
mother, Demetria, belonged to the Sumulong
family of Rizal who were also politically
influential; Juan Sumulong, a prominent
member of the clan, ran
against Commonwealth President Manuel L.
Quezon in 1941.
• Aquino spent her elementary days at St. Scholastica's
College in Manila, where she graduated on top of her
class and batch as valedictorian.
• For high school, she transferred to Assumption
Convent for her first year of high school.
• Afterwards, she went to the United States, the
Assumption-run Ravenhill Academy Philadelphia .
• The next year Cory transferred to (and graduated
from) Notre Dame Convent School (now Notre Dame
School (Manhattan) in New York City. Where she
continued college.
• She went on to the College of Mount Saint Vincent in
New York City, where she majored in Mathematics and
French.
• During her stay in the United States, Aquino
volunteered for the campaign of
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Thomas
Dewey against then Democratic U.S. President Harry
S. Truman during the 1948 U.S. Presidential Election.
• After her 1953 graduation from college, Corazon moved
back to Manila to attend law school at the Far Eastern
University. There, she met a young man from one of the
Philippines' other wealthy families, a fellow student
named Benigno Aquino, Jr. The couple married in 1954.
 CORAZON IN POLITICS
• Her calm strength under horrific conditions made her the
center of anti-Marcos politics in the Philippines - a
movement known as "People Power.“
• Massive street demonstrations against his regime that
continued for years, and perhaps deluded into believing
that he had more public support than he actually did,
Ferdinand Marcos called new presidential elections in
February of 1986. His opponent was Corazon Aquino.
• Aging and ill, Marcos did not take the challenge from
Corazon Aquino very seriously. He noted that she was "just
a woman," and said that her proper place was in the
bedroom.
 CORAZON IN POLITICS
• Despite massive turnout by Corazon's "People
Power" supporters, the Marcos-allied parliament
declared him the winner. Protestors poured into
the Manila streets once more, and top military
leaders defected to Corazon's camp. Finally, after
four chaotic days, Ferdinand Marcos and his wife
Imelda were forced to flee into exile in the United
States.
• Aquino was sworn into office on February 25,
1986, becoming the first female president of the
Philippines. That same year, she was named
TIME magazine's Woman of the Year.
 PRESIDENT AQUINO
• On February 25, 1986, as a result of the
"People Power Revolution," Corazon Aquino
became the first female president of the
Philippines. She restored democracy to the
country, promulgating a new constitution, and
serving until 1992.
• She pledged agrarian reform and land
redistribution, but her background as a member
of the landed classes made this a difficult
promise to keep.
 PRESIDENT AQUINO
• Marcos supporters in the Philippines staged half a
dozen coup attempts against Corazon Aquino during
her term in office, but she survived them all in her low-
key yet stubborn political style
• She was succeeded as President by Fidel V. Ramos,
and returned to civilian life while remaining public
about her opinions on political issues.
• Corazon Aquino also convinced the US to withdraw its
military from remaining bases in the Philippines - with
help from Mt. Pinatubo, which erupted in June of 1991
and buried several military installations
 CONSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL
REFORMS
• To fast-track the restoration of a full constitutional
government and the writing of a new charter, she
appointed 48 members of the 1986 Constitutional
Commission ("Con-Com"), led by retired activist
Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muñoz-
Palma. The Con-Com completed its final draft in
October 1986
• On February 2, 1987, the new Constitution of the
Philippines, which put strong emphasis on civil
liberties, human rights and social justice, was
overwhelmingly approved by the Filipino people.
• President Aquino issued Proclamation № 3, which
established a revolutionary government. She abolished
the 1973 Constitution that was in force during Martial Law,
and by decree issued the provisional 1986 Freedom
Constitution pending the ratification of a more formal,
comprehensive charter.
• Aquino promulgated two landmark legal codes, namely,
the Family Code of 1987, which reformed the civil law on
family relations, and the Administrative Code of 1987,
which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of
government. Another landmark law that was enacted
during her tenure was the 1991 Local Government Code,
which devolved national government powers to local
government units.
• 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.

• As a result, 12 farmers were killed and 19

were injured in this incident now known as
the Mendiola Massacre. This incident led
some prominent members of the Aquino
Cabinet to resign their government posts.
 HONORS
• Pope Benedict XVI, in his letter to Archbishop Rosales, recalled
Aquino's "courageous commitment to the freedom of the Filipino
people, her firm rejection of violence and intolerance" and called
her a woman of courage and faith.
• One of 100 Women Who Shaped World History in a reference
book written by Gail Meyer Rolka and published by Bluewood
Books in San Francisco, California
• She received the J. William Fulbright Prize for International
Understanding from the Fulbright Association
• Time Magazine as one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the
20th century
• First woman named to the Board of Governors of the Board of
the Asian Institute of Management
• In retirement, former President Aquino frequently
spoke out on political and social issues. She was
particularly vocal in opposing later presidents'
attempts to amend the constitution to allow
themselves extra terms in office. She also worked to
reduce violence and homelessness in the Philippines.
• Instead, she ran a think tank on non-violence and
periodically helped lead street protests against the
policies of endorsed by her successors.
• Corazon Aquino is fondly remembered and deeply revered
by Filipinos as the "mother of Philippine democracy", the
"housewife who led a revolution" and the "woman who
restored democracy".
• Aquino has always stated that it was actually the Filipino
people, not her, who restored democracy in the Philippines
and maintained that she was only an instrument.
• Aquino will be remembered for bringing back democratic,
republican and constitutional rule in the Philippines with
the unveiling and ratification of the 1987 Constitution.
• She also promulgated the New Civil Code of the Philippines
and the Family Code of the Philippines.
• Her presidency would be remembered for its emphasis on
decentralization of governmental powers by pressing for more
involvement of local governments and pushing for autonomy
as a means to ward off ethnic secessionism in the Cordillera
and Muslim Mindanao regions.
• Aquino Administration will be best remembered for trying hard
to shore up investments in the Philippines, liberalizing and
deregulating failing government-owned corporations and
entities. Aquino also laid down the foundations for a socially-
oriented market economy in the Philippines that would be
marked by market reforms and people empowerment.
The "New Generation" 500 peso note featuring
the portrait of Corazon Aquino and her
husband Benigno Aquino, Jr..
CORY AND BENIGNO AQUINO`S
RESTING PLACE
CORY`S FAMOUS
RIBBON SYMBOL
CORY`S
LABAN
SIGN
Corazon Aquino
and Benigno
Aquino`s Wedding
Day