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Maria Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco
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| Birth date | January 25, 1933 |
| Death date | |
| Place | Manila, Philippines |
| Alias | Cory Aquino |
| Occupation | President |
| Category | Women |
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Biography :: Contributions ::
Famous quotes ::
Achievements
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María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco–Aquino (born January 25, 1933), widely known as Cory Aquino, was President of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. She was Asia's first female President. She was the wife of the popular opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr., and when he was assassinated at then Manila International Airport on his return from exile on August 21, 1983, she became the focus of the opposition to the autocratic rule of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Maria Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco was born in Manila into one of the richest Chinese-mestizo families in the Philippines, the powerful Cojuangcos of Tarlac province. Her mother's family, the Sumulongs, also belong to a political Chinese Filipino family in Rizal.
She grew up privileged, sent overseas to study in Ravenhill Academy in Philadelphia, the Notre Dame Convent School in New York, and College of Mount Saint Vincent, also in New York. She studied mathematics and graduated with a degree in French in 1953.
She returned to the Philippines to study law at Far Eastern University, but in 1955 she married Benigno Aquino Jr., who had just been elected mayor of Concepción in Tarlac province at the age of 22. She eventually bore him five children: a son, Benigno III, and four daughters, Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Victoria Eliza, and Kristina Bernadette. Ninoy rose to be governor and senator, then under the Marcos regime was arrested, sentenced to death, and exiled. She accompanied him into exile in 1980. He was later assassinated on August 21, 1983 upon arrival from a 3-year exile in the United States at the tarmac of the Manila International Airport, which was later renamed in his honor. After his death she was convinced by the friends and supporters of Ninoy to enter into politics as head of the Laban coalition.Aquino drew praise for her support for democracy, and was selected as Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 1986. Despite her enormous personal popularity and that of the new constitution, Aquino continued to face repeated military coup attempts and communist insurrection. Marcos loyalists continued to oppose the government, culminating in a failed July 1986 attempt to establish a rival government at the Manila Hotel, with Arturo Tolentino as temporary president. A more serious threat came from an attempted coup in August 1987 which was repeated in December 1989. Both military coups were led by Col. Gregorio Honasan. The Aquino administration was continually plagued by rumors of coup attempts.""She is also the first Filipino to receive a Nobel Peace Prize after leading the bloodless EDSA revolution during the time of Marcos.
Asia's first female president.
Aquino drew praise for her support for democracy, and was selected as Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 1986.
Following the end of her term, Aquino retired to private life. When she rode away from the inauguration of her successor, she chose to go in a simple white Toyota Crown she had purchased (rather than the government-issue Mercedes), to make the point that she was once again an ordinary citizen. She has directed a number of projects that aim at furthering the spread of democracy in Asia.
In 1998, she supported Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim for the presidency. Lim however landed in the 5th place in the May 1998 election where Joseph Estrada won in a landslide victory.
Aquino was the recipient of the 1998 Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding with President Joseph Estrada as the guest-of-honor. In 2002, Aquino received an honorary doctorate from Seattle University in Washington.
In January 2001, Aquino was instrumental in the success of the second EDSA Revolution, a four-day popular revolt that peacefully overthrew Philippine president Joseph Estrada that led Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency.
In 2005, Aquino condemned Arroyo, the current president, for allegedly rigging the 2004 electoral process. In February 2006, Aquino joined protestors demonstrating against Arroyo on EDSA, after an alleged coup attempt by members of the Filipino military.
In October 2005, she was awarded one of the World's Elite Women Who Make a Difference by the International Women's Forum Hall of Fame of 2005.""“I've reached a point in life where it's no longer necessary to try to impress. If they like me the way I am, that's good. If they don't, that's too bad.”
“Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope.”
“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.”
“I just do whatever it is that I believe I should do, regardless of the risks to my life.”
“Reconciliation should be accompanied by justice, otherwise it will not last. While we all hope for peace it shouldn't be peace at any cost but peace based on principle, on justice.”
“The media's power is frail. Without the people's support, it can be shut off with the ease of turning a light switch.”
“I know my limitations, and I don't like politics. I was only involved because of my husband.”
“As I came to power peacefully, so shall I keep it.”
“It's very simple, I just tell my sad story, and people weep.”
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