The 11th president of the Philippines was Corazon Aquino. She began as a simple housewife who prioritized taking care of her family and helping her husband, Senator Benigno S. Aquino Junior, in his political battle. She was unable to remain motionless, however, when Benigno was murdered by Marcos’ troops at the Manila Airport upon his return from exile. She quickly rose to prominence as the focal point of the Philippine democratic movement and the key player in the People’s Power Revolution, commonly known as the Yellow Revolution, which brought an end to President Ferdinand E. Marcos’ 20-year rule. She later took office as president, beginning the nation’s democratic process and enacting a number of reforms. Although the time was difficult, she did her best to help the populace given the circumstances. She refused to run for reelection once her term ended, claiming that the presidency is not a lifetime position. She continued to be involved in different political and social concerns even after she retired.
Early Childhood & Life
A prominent and affluent family from Tarlac Province in the Philippines gave birth to Maria Corazon Aquino on January 25, 1933, in the Manila neighborhood of Intramuros. Her mother, Demetria, was a descendant of the powerful Sumulong family, and her father, Jose Cojuangco y Chichioco, Sr., was a well-known merchant and politician.
Pedro, Josephine, Teresita, Jose, Jr., and Maria Paz were the five brothers and sisters of Maria, affectionately known as Cory. She started her schooling at Manila’s St. Scholastica’s College before transferring to Assumption Convent.
She was moved to the United States of America for higher education when she was thirteen. Maria Cory was first accepted to Philadelphia’s Ravenhill Academy in the United States. She afterward transferred to Notre Dame School of Manhattan, where she completed her secondary school.
She then enrolled at the Catholic liberal arts college College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York. In 1953, Maria Cory received a degree in mathematics and French from that institution. Following her return, she studied at the Far Eastern University of Manila in the Philippines. She abandoned her studies, nevertheless, after only a year in order to wed Benigno S. Aquino Jr.
Corazon Aquino as a housewife
The couple moved to Concepcion sometime in 1955. Maria Corazon Aquino now followed the standard Pilipino homemaker lifestyle, standing by her husband Benigno Aquino through all of his decisions.
Although Benigno Aquino was a journalist at the time of their marriage, he eventually developed an interest in politics and ascended fast through the ranks to become the country’s youngest vice governor at the age of 27 (1959) and the governor of Tarlac Province at the age of 29. (1961).
Benigno was elected as the nation’s youngest senator in 1967. It is reported that Corazon willingly sold a large number of family heirlooms to fund his campaign. Benigno Aquino became a prominent opponent of President Marcos after being elected to the Senate and was seen as a likely candidate for the 1973 presidential election.
Marcos imposed martial law in 1972 and detained prominent politicians, including Benigno. Corazon was compelled to leave her house as a result. She served as Benigno’s conduit to the outside world, ensuring that his memory would never be lost.
Benigno was given a death by firing squad verdict on November 25, 1977, following a protracted and prejudiced trial. But it wasn’t done right away for a variety of reasons.
Benigno, who was still incarcerated, made the decision to run for the Batasang Pambansa in 1978. Corazon started campaigning for her husband and for the first time began making political speeches, while initially feeling a little apprehensive.
Benigno experienced a heart attack in 1980, but he declined to see Filipino medical professionals out of suspicion of deceit. Finally, thanks to US President Jimmy Carter’s intercession, the family was permitted to travel to the US.
The Aquino family made Boston, USA, their home. Benigno, however, gave lectures about the internal situation in the Philippines while touring the USA. He returned to the Philippines alone on August 21, 1983, but was killed at the airport in Manila.
An uproar followed the murder both at home and abroad. Corazon reactivated her activism, participated in a number of protests, and quickly assumed control of the party.
Marcos was compelled to call for elections for president in November 1985 at the same time as a result of international pressure. A unified opposition nominated Corazon Aquino, who was reluctant, to be their next candidate for president. When she saw a million signatures, she decided to run for the position.
Widespread electoral fraud, violence, and coercion marred the election that took place in February 1986. Despite this, Marcos was only able to prevail by a small margin. Supporters of Aquino disputed the outcome. The army also reversed its position and endorsed Aquino. Marcos left for Hawaii after detecting problems.
On February 25, 1986, Corazon Aquino took the oath of office as the eleventh President of the Philippines. On February 28, she established the Presidential Commission on Good Government, whose primary responsibility was to look into and recoup the illicit income amassed by the previous administration.
She declared the temporary Freedom Constitution in 1986 and repealed the 1973 constitution that had been in effect during martial law. She also established a committee to draft a new constitution, which was approved in 1987.
The Marcos government disbanded the bicameral Congress, which was reinstated by the Aquino administration in 1987. Additionally, she presided over the election of the new Congress and signed both the Administrative Code of 1987 and The Family Code into law.
She was also able to introduce some limited economic and agricultural reforms and end the monopoly of Marcos’ supporters on the nation’s economy. Although it somewhat improved the nation’s economic situation, her measures were condemned as being ineffective, and her popularity started to fall.
One must acknowledge, nevertheless, how challenging the circumstance was for President Aquino. She faced challenges in every area. The economy had collapsed. She had to deal with widespread poverty in addition to the US$ 28 billion in foreign loans left behind by the previous administration.
Her efforts were severely hampered by the communists’ ongoing assault. Prolonged blackouts were quite prevalent in Manila as a result of sabotage by Marcos’ allies in the government, which had an impact on the city’s the trade and economy.
She had to deal with numerous coup attempts by various branches of the armed services because she had doubts about their allegiance. During the latter two years of her tenure, numerous natural disasters also wreaked havoc on the nation.
President Aquino declined to run for reelection in 1992 when her term came to a conclusion. By doing this, she aimed to serve as an example and convey to others the fact that the President’s position was a temporary one.
On June 30, 1992, when the new President took office, Corazon Aquino turned over the reins and sped off in her basic Toyota Crown to retire but busy life.
Later the Years
Corazon Aquino continued to be involved in politics after she left office and spoke out firmly when she believed that liberal democratic values were being jeopardized. She organized a sizable gathering in 1997 that finally prevented President Ramos from amending the constitution to lengthen his term.
Every time the opportunity presented itself, Aquino engaged in such political engagement. She also traveled abroad on multiple occasions, giving presentations on topics including human rights, development, and democracy. She was also personally associated with numerous philanthropic organizations starting in 1992.
Humanitarian Activities
Corazon Aquino backed initiatives to help the needy through microloans and social housing. She participated in the founding of the nonprofit PinoyME Foundation, which microfinance initiatives and activities for the underprivileged.
Recognition & Achievements
Corazon Aquino was honored as “Woman of the Year” in 1986 by Times Magazine for her efforts to topple Ferdinand E. Marcos’ 20-year dictatorship.
The J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding was awarded to Aquino by the Fulbright Association in 1996.
She was named one of the 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th century by Times Magazine in 1999.
Personal Legacy & Life
In 1954, Corazon Aquino wed Benigno S. Aquino Jr. Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Benigno Simeon III, Victoria Elisa, and Kristina Bernadette were the couple’s five children. One of them, Benigno Simeon III, later entered politics and was elected as the nation’s fifteenth president in 2010.
Corazon Aquino was informed that she had been given a colon cancer diagnosis on March 24, 2008. Chemotherapy was given to her. Her condition worsened in July 2009, therefore the treatment was discontinued. At the age of 76, she passed away from a cardiac attack on August 1st, 2009.
Many Filipinos refer to Corazon Aquino with affection today as the “Mother of Philippine Democracy.” She has also been praised by numerous foreign observers as the modern-day Joan of Arc.
Corazon Aquino Net Worth
One of the wealthiest and most well-liked world leaders is Corazon. Our study of data from sources including Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider indicates that Corazon Aquino’s net worth is roughly $1.5 million.