Maria Corazon C. Aquino

Ma. Corazon Aquino was the first woman president of the Philippines and then seventh president of the Third Republic.
She was born on January 25, 1933 in Manila.  She belongs to a wealthy and politically prominent family based in Tarlac.  Her parents were Jose Cojuanco and Demetria Sumulong.
She graduated valedictorian of her elementary class at St. Scholastica’s College.  Her first year in high school was spent in the Assumption Convent Manila.  In 1946, she went to the United States where she pursued her secondary and college education.  In 1953, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Mount Saint Vincent College in New York.

She returned to the Philippines to take up law at the Far Eastern University.  However, in 1954, she married Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., also from Tarlac.
In 1983, Ninoy was assassinated upon his return to the Philippines.  Cory as she was popularly known, became the symbol of opposition to the Marcos government.
Thinking that he still had the Filipino people behind him, Marcos called for a snap election in 1986.  Cory the became the unified opposition’s candidate for the presidency.  Officially reported to have lost the election to Marcos, she called for a nation wide protest movement against widespread cheating in the election.  This led to the People Power Revolution which cause the downfall of Marcos.  On February 25, 1986, Cory was installed as president of the country.
As the new president, Cory proclaimed provisional Constitution and soon thereafter appointed a commission to write a new Constitution.  The resulting document was ratified by a landslide popular vote in February 1987.
Cory survived seven coup d’etats during her six-year administration.  She ended her term as president on June 360, 1992 when Fidel V. Ramos was sworn to office.

Tags: corazon aquino, cory, cory aquino, Philippine presidents, president, president of the Philippines, presidents

Category: Philippine Presidents