Corazon C. Aquino

The former president succumbed to death on August 1, 2009 due to cardiorespiratory arrest. She was diagnosed with colon cancer in March 2008. She was 76. PERSONAL INFORMATION

• Birthdate: January 25, 1933
• Birthplace: Manila
• Nickname: Cory
• Father: Jose Cojuangco, a three-term congressman
• Mother: Demetria Sumulong, a pharmacist and daughter of a senator
• Husband: the late Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., martyred senator
• Children: Maria Elena (Ballsy), Aurora Corazon (Pinky), Benigno S. Aquino III (Noynoy), Victoria Elisa (Viel), and Kristina Bernadette (Kris)

EDUCATION

• Bachelor of Laws, Far Eastern University (discontinued)
• Bachelor of Arts major in French, minor in Mathematics, College of Mount St. Vincent, New York City

CAREER

• Co-President, Forum of Democratic Leaders
• Chairperson, Board of Advisers of the Metrobank Foundation
• Chairperson, Aquino Foundation
• Member of the Board of Directors, Sanyo Electric Company, Limited
• Member of the Board of Governors, Asian Institute of Management
• President, Republic of the Philippines, 1986-1992

AWARDS

• 20 Most Influential Asians of the Century, Time magazine, 1999
• Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding, 1998
• Pearl S. Buck Award, Randolph Macon Woman's College
• Honorary degrees from universities in the Philippines, the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Italy, Thailand, and Korea
• Time Magazine's Woman of the Year, 1986
• Marthin Luther King Jr. Non-Violent Peace Prize
• Noel Award for Political Leadership, United Nations Development Fund for Women
• 1993 Special Peace Award from the Aurora Aragon Quezon Peace Foundation and Concerned Women of the Philippines
• Fulbright Award for International Understanding, 1996

ISSUES

• People Power I. Cory Aquino ran against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the February 7, 1986 snap election. Marcos rigged the results of the elections, and he was proclaimed as president by the Batasang Pambansa on February 15. The next day, Aquino led a mammoth rally at the Luneta grandstand. Aquino assumed the presidency after a civilian-backed military revolt ousted the dictator Ferdinand Marcos in February 25, 1986.
• People Power II. Aquino and Jaime Cardinal Sin called for People Power after pro-Estrada senator-judges in the impeachment trial successfully blocked the opening of a "second envelope" which contained supposedly damaging evidence against Estrada.
• Anti-Arroyo movement. She called on Gloria Arroyo to resign after the latter admitted talking to a Comelec commissioner during the canvassing of the votes for the 2004 presidential elections. She is one of the leaders of the anti-Arroyo coalition Bukluran Para sa Katotohanan.

Sources: GMA News Research