IAN DAVE D.

DAYAN
IV-SAMPAGUITA

Seventh president of the Third Philippine

Republic, Corazon ("Cory")
Cojuangco Aquino was born 25 January 1933 in
Tarlac, Philippines, and served as president of
the Third Philippine Republic from 1986 to 1992.
Born into one of the wealthiest families’ in the
Philippines, she was educated in the Philippines
and in the United States. After she married
Benigno ("Ninoy") Aquino, Jr. on 11 October
1954, she remained in the background and
stayed at home to raise their five children while
her husband successfully pursued a political
career.

After her husband's assassination on 21 August

1983, the devout Catholic housewife came to
symbolize and represent the moral opposition to
the regime of Ferdinand Marcos (1917–1989), who ruled the Philippines from
1966 to 1986. Although reluctant at first, she became the united opposition's
candidate for the presidency in the "snap election" called by Marcos for 6 February
1986. Both Aquino and Marcos claimed victory. A military revolt led to the famous
EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos, for the street where much of the action occurred)
revolution and the victory of People Power. (People Power refers to the nonviolent
gathering of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in protest and to reject the Marcos
regime. They gathered at the urging of Cardinal Jaime Sin to protect a group of
military officials whose arrest had been ordered by Marcos.) Although not a
participant in the EDSA revolution, Aquino benefited from it as Marcos, under
strong pressure from Washington, left the country and she assumed the
presidency on 25 February 1986. She issued a presidential proclamation on 25
March 1986 that based her government's legitimacy on the EDSA revolution
rather than the election. Aquino promulgated a provisional constitution and
appointed a commission to write a new constitution. This new constitution was
ratified by popular vote in February 1987.

The question has been asked: Did the events of EDSA represent a revolution or a
restoration? Aquino's government marked the return to power of the oligarchy
that had controlled much of Philippine politics and the economy before the
declaration of martial law by President Marcos on 22 September 1972. Her
presidency was threatened by various coup attempts, but she survived to the end
of her term in 1992. As of 2001, Aquino continues to be active in Philippine
politics as a leader in People Power II, which led to the ouster of President Joseph
Estrada (b. 1937) amid allegations of corruption on 20 January 2001.

Death and Funeral

The 11th President of the Philippines, Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino, died on
August 1, 2009 at the Makati Medical Center in Makati City, after having suffered
from colon cancer for over a year. Her official cause of death was cardiopulmonary
arrest. Aquino was first diagnosed to have cancer in March 2008, and was
hospitalized from June 2009 until her death.
The Aquino family declined an invitation by the government for a state
funeral. Her funeral was held on August 5, 2009, and her body was buried at the
Manila Memorial Park in Parañaque City. She is the first female lay person to have
her wake at the Manila Cathedral and is the second president after Carlos P.
Garcia to have their body lay at state there.
By July 2009, Aquino was reported to be in a very serious condition and
confined to Makati Medical Center due to loss of appetite and chronic baldness. It
was announced that Aquino and her family had decided to cease chemotherapy
and other medical interventions.
Aquino died of cardio respiratory arrest after complications of colon
cancer at the age of 76 on August 1, 2009, 3:18 a.m., at the Makati Medical
Center.
The Aquino family declined an invitation by the government for a state
funeral.
Aquino's body lay in state at a public wake at the St. Benilde Gymnasium
of La Salle Green Hills in Mandaluyong up to August 3, before being transferred to
the Manila Cathedral. She was the second member of the laity and the first
woman permitted to lie in state in the cathedral, as this honor was reserved only
for deceased archbishops of Manila.[21]. A crowd estimated at 120,000 witnessed
the transfer of her remains from La Salle Green Hills to the Manila Cathedral. Most
of the crowd was concentrated at the Ninoy Aquino memorial statue in Ayala
Avenue, Makati, where the funeral cortege paused briefly while the crowds sang
"Bayan Ko," the patriotic kundiman that is the unofficial second national anthem.