María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino

     Corazon Aquino (born January 25, 1933, Tarlac province, Philippines—died August 1, 2009, Makati) was a Philippine political leader who served as the first female president (1986–92) of the Philippines, restoring democratic rule in that country after the long dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos.

     Corazon Cojuangco was born into a wealthy, politically prominent family based in Tarlac province, north of Manila. She graduated from Mount St. Vincent College in New York City in 1954 but abandoned further studies in 1955 to marry Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr., who was then a promising young politician. Corazon remained in the background during her husband’s subsequent career, rearing their five children at home. Her husband, who had become a prominent opposition politician, was jailed by Marcos for eight years (1972–80), and Corazon accompanied him into exile in the United States in 1980. Benigno was assassinated upon his return to the Philippines in August 1983. This event galvanized opposition to the Marcos government.

     When Ferdinand E. Marcos unexpectedly called for presidential elections in February 1986, Corazon Aquino became the unified opposition’s presidential candidate. Though she was officially reported to have lost the election to Marcos, Aquino and her supporters challenged the results, charging widespread voting fraud. High officials in the Philippine military soon publicly renounced Marcos’s continued rule and proclaimed Aquino the Philippines’ rightful president. On February 25, 1986, both Aquino and Marcos were inaugurated as president by their respective supporters, but that same day Marcos fled the country.

     In March 1986 Aquino proclaimed a provisional constitution and soon thereafter appointed a commission to write a new constitution. The resulting document, which restored the bicameral Congress abolished by Marcos in 1973, was ratified by a landslide popular vote in February 1987. Aquino held elections to the new Congress and broke up the monopolies held by Marcos’s allies over the economy, which experienced steady growth for several years. But she failed to undertake fundamental economic or social reforms, and her popularity steadily declined as she faced continual outcries over economic injustice and political corruption. These problems were exacerbated by persistent warfare between the communist insurgency and a military whose loyalties to Aquino were uncertain. In general, her economic policies were criticized for being mixed or faltering in the face of mass poverty. Aquino was succeeded in office by her former defense secretary, Fidel Ramos.

     Corazon Aquino (KOHR-ah-zohn ah-KEE-noh) was born María Corazon Cojuangco, the daughter of Don Jose Cojuangco and Doña Demetria Sumulong, in Paniqui in the Tarlac district of the Philippines. The sixth of eight children, Aquino was always intelligent, and her wealthy family educated her at the best schools. She graduated first in her class at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila (a prominent girl’s school with classes ranging from grade school to junior college level) and then studied at a number of exclusive prep schools in the United States: Ravenhill Academy (Philadelphia), the Notre Dame Convent School (New York), and the College of Mount Saint Vincent (also in New York). In college, Aquino gravitated to liberal arts, acquiring a bachelor of arts degree in French.

     After completing her undergraduate degree, Aquino returned to the Philippines. Rather than beginning her teaching career as planned, however, she found herself drawn toward the study of law and politics. With the blessing of her parents, she attended Far Eastern University and, in 1955, fell in love with the young, charismatic Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr., who at the tender age of twenty-two had already served as a war correspondent for The Manila Times, been awarded a Philippine Legion of Honor Award from President Elpidio Quirino, and was a key adviser to President Ramon Magsaysay. A personable and magnetic man, Ninoy had just been elected mayor of Concepción in Tarlac province when he met Corazon Cojuangco, and the young couple found that they had much in common. Both were members of the Philippines’ Liberal Party, both were idealistic, and both wanted their country to be more progressive politically and socially. They married, and subsequently had five children: Maria Elena Aquino, Aurora Corazon Aquino, Benigno Aquino III, Victoria Eliza Aquino, and Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco.

     Aquino was renowned not only for being one of the first female leaders of an Asian country but also for her many humanitarian activities and awards: In 1996 she received the J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding; in 1998 she received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding, an award created in honor of the former president and friend of her late husband; in 2001 she was awarded a World Citizenship Award; in 2002 she became chair for the Board of Trustees of the Asian Institute of Management; and in November, 2006, Time magazine published an extensive article detailing Aquino’s work as a political reformer and naming her an Asian Hero. She received many honorary doctorates, including degrees in humanities from the University of Oregon (1995), San Beda College (2000), and Seattle University (2002); in humane letters from her alma mater, the College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York; and in international relations from Boston University. Aquino also has been involved with microfinance projects for beginning entrepreneurs and social welfare and scholarship assistance through the Benigno Aquino Memorial Foundation, a fund established in honor of her beloved husband.

Bibliography

Burton, Sandra. Impossible Dream: The Marcoses, the Aquinos, and the Unfinished Revolution. New York: Warner Books, 1988. One of the most interesting aspects of the Marcos/Aquino election scandal is just how polarized the two candidates became in the court of public opinion. Burton explains the basis of the adulation of Ninoy and Corazon Aquino, the hatred of Ferdinand Marcos, and the impetus for the 1986 revolt.

D’Amico, Francine, and Peter R. Beckman, eds. Women in World Politics: An Introduction. Westport, Conn.: Bergin & Garvey, 1995. This scholarly collection of essays studies the impact of female leadership on world politics. Includes biographies of Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, Indira Ghandi, and Margaret Thatcher as well as excerpts from the published memoirs of other female political figures.

Komisar, Lucy. Corazon Aquino: The Story of a Revolution. New York: G. Braziller, 1987. Komisar treats readers to a lively and highly readable biography of Corazon Aquino, detailing her transformation from the reclusive wealthy wife of a political firebrand to the role as social reformer and noted humanitarian.

Ohrn, Deborah Gore, ed. Herstory: Women Who Changed the World. New York: Viking, 1995. Ohrn outlines the increasing influence of women in a variety of social spheres, including that of international politics. She presents life stories of women in the arts, the sciences, and the political forum, finding common threads between the disparate fields.

Reid, Robert H. Corazon Aquino and the Brushfire Revolution. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1995. This is a fairly dense scholarly history of Corazon Aquino’s rise to power from her husband’s assassination through her election to the Philippine presidency. It also provides a look at her role within the Laban party.

Achievements of María Corazón Cojuangco-Aquino

     First woman to be president of the Philippines or any Asian country restored democracy abolished the 1973 Marcos Constitution and ushered in the new Constitution of the Philippines reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government signed the Family Code of 1967, a major civil law reform, and 1191 Local Government Code. which reorganized the structure of the executive branch of government initiated charitable and social activities helping the poor and the needy named "Woman of the Year" in 1986 by Time magazine on the new 500-peso bill together with her husband Benigno Aquino Received honors and awards including: 100 Women Who Shaped World History 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20th Century 65 Great Asian Heroes J. William Fulbright Prize for International Understanding.

     

Restoration of Democracy: Aquino's rise to power was a result of the People Power Revolution, a peaceful uprising that ousted Marcos. Her presidency marked the return of democratic governance in the Philippines.

Constitutional Reform: One of Aquino's significant achievements was the drafting and ratification of a new constitution in 1987. This constitution re-established democratic institutions, reinstated a bicameral legislature, and included provisions to protect civil liberties and human rights.

     

Economic Reforms: Aquino worked to stabilize the Philippine economy, which had suffered under the Marcos regime. She initiated efforts to liberalize the economy, dismantle monopolies, and encourage foreign investment. Her administration also focused on reducing the national debt and implementing agrarian reform to address land distribution issues.

     

Peace Initiatives: Aquino pursued peace talks with various insurgent groups, including communist rebels and Muslim separatists. While challenges persisted, her administration laid the groundwork for future peace efforts.

     

Land Reform: She signed the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law in 1988, which aimed to distribute agricultural land to tenant farmers and promote social justice. Although the program faced implementation challenges, it was a significant step toward addressing land inequality.

     

Advocacy for Human Rights: Aquino's presidency emphasized the protection of human rights and the promotion of freedom of the press, reversing the censorship and repression that characterized the previous regime.

     

Surviving Coup Attempts Despite facing multiple coup attempts during her presidency, Aquino managed to maintain her administration's stability and continued to govern amidst political challenges.

Contributions of María Corazón Cojuangco-Aquino

1. Values Education and Human Rights:
     

Incorporation into Curriculum:
     Aquino initiated the inclusion of values education and human rights education in basic and teacher education.

     

Emphasis on Democratic Values:
     This was seen as a way to instill democratic values and restore the spirit of democracy after the Marcos regime.

     

Values Education Program:
     The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) developed a values education program to enhance human development and strengthen the moral fiber of the people.

     

Framework for Implementation:
     Aquino directed the DECS to create a framework for implementing values education programs in elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels.

2. Education for All:
     

"Decade of Education for All":
     Aquino declared the period 1990-1999 as the "Decade of Education for All".
     

Priority Program:
     The "Education for All: Philippine Plan of Action" was adopted as a priority program of the government.
     

Resource Allocation:
     The Cabinet was tasked with devising a system to pool and program funds for Education for All programs.
     

DECS Mandate:
     DECS regional offices, bureaus, and centers were directed to base their plans and programs on the "Education for All" plan.