Cory aquino Essay

Mara Corazn Sumulong Cory Cojuangco Aquino was born on January 25, 1933, in Paniqui, Tarlac, Mara Corazn Cory Sumulong Cojuangco was the fourth child of Jos Cojuangco, Sr. and Demetria Sumulong. Her siblings were Pedro, Josephine, Teresita, Jose, younger and Maria Paz. Both Aquinos parents came from prominent clans. Her father was a prominent Tarlac businessman and politician, and her great-grandfather, Melecio Cojuangco, was a appendage of the historic Malolos Congress.Her mother, Demetria, belonged to the Sumulong family of Rizal who were policy-makingly powerful Juan Sumulong, a prominent member of the clan, ran against Commonwealth prexy Manuel L. Quezon in 1941. As a young girl, she spent her elementary days at St. Scholasticas College in Manila, where she graduated on top of her class and batch as valight-emitting diodeictorian. For highschool school, she transferred toAssumption Convent for her starting billet category of high school. afterwards, she went to the fall in States to finish her secondary education. at that place she continued her college education. She went to theCollege of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City, where she majored in maths and French.During her breathe in the United States, Aquino volunteered for the campaign of U.S. Republican death chairial campaigner Thomas Dewey against hence Democrat U.S. chairman Harry S. Truman during the 1948 U.S. Presidential Election. After graduating from college, she returned to the Philippines to study law at the Far Eastern University (owned by the in-laws of her elderberry bush sister, Josephine Reyes) for one year. She married Sen.Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., son of the late Speaker Benigno S. Aquino, Sr. and a grandson of General Servillano Aquino.The couple had five children Mara Elena (born August 18, 1955), aurora Corazn (born December 27, 1957), Benigno Simeon III (born February 8, 1960), Victoria Elisa (born October 27, 1961) and Kristina Bernadette (born February 14, 1971). C orazn Aquino had encumbrance initially adjusting to provincial life when she and her married man travel to C at one timepcion, Tarlac in 1955. Aquino make up herself bored in Concepcion, and welcomed the opportunity to have dinner with her husband inner(a) the American military facility at nearby Clark Field. A member of the Liberal Party, Aquinos husband Ninoy rose to become the youngestg everywherenor in the hoidenish and eventually became the youngest senator ever elected in the Senate of the Philippines in 1967.During her husbands political career, Aquino remained a housewife who helped raise their children and played air hostess to her spouses political allies who would frequent their Quezon City home. She would sort step up to join her husband on stage during campaign rallies, preferring instead to allow at the guts of the audience and listen to him. Unknown to umteen, she voluntarily interchange some of her prized inheritance to fund the candidacy of her husband. S he conduct a minor existence in a bungalow in suburban Quezon City. Ninoy Aquino soon emerged as a leading critic of the presidency of President Ferdinand Marcos. He was then touted as a strong candidate for president to surveil Marcos in the 1973 preferences.However, Marcos, organism barred by the Constitution to seek a third term, declared warlike law on September 21, 1972, and later on(prenominal) abolished the existing 1935 Constitution, thereby allowing him to remain in office. As a consequence, her husband was among those to be first arrested at the on found of martial law, later beingness sentenced to death. During his incarceration, Ninoy sought strength from prayer, attending daily mass and reflection the prayer beads three times a day. As a measure of relinquish and solidarity with her husband and all other political prisoners, she enjoined her children from attending parties and she also stop going to the beauty salon or buying new tog until a priest advised her and her children to instead live as sane lives as possible.In 1978, despite her initial opposition, Ninoy decided to run in the 1978 Batasang Pambansa elections. A reluctant speaker, Corazn Aquino campaigned in behalf of her husband, and for the first time in her life delivered a political speech. In 1980, upon the intervention of U.S. President pry Carter, Marcos allowed Senator Aquino and his family to leave for exile in the United States, where he sought checkup treatment.4 The family stagetled in Boston, and Aquino would later call the next three days as the happiest days of her marriage and family life.On August 21, 1983, however, Ninoy ended his stay in the United States and returned without his family to the Philippines, only to be assassinated on a staircase leading to the tarmac of the Manila internationalistic Airport, which was later renamed in his honor (see Assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr.). Corazn Aquino returned to the Philippines a few days later and l ed her husbands funeral procession, inwhich more than two meg tribe joined the procession. Following her husbands assassination in 1983, Aquino became active and visible in various demonstrations and protests held against the Marcos politics.She began to assume the mantle of leadership left by her husband Ninoy and started to become the symbolic figurehead of the anti-Marcos political opposition. In the last week of November 1985, Marcos surprise the nation by announcing on American television that he would hold a pushover presidential election in February 1986, in order to dispel and remove doubts against his regimes legitimacy and authority. Reluctant at first, Aquino was eventually prevailed upon to heed the peoples clamor, after one million signatures urging her to run for president were presented to her. Despite this, the erstwhile favorite opposite candidate, Laurel, did non immediately prevail way to his close friends widow.Laurel was only convinced(p) to run as Aquin os Vice President upon the urging of the influential Manila Cardinal Archbishop Jaime Sin. As a compromise, Aquino agreed to run beneath Laurels machinery, the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), then the countrys largest opposition party. With that, the Aquino-Laurel tandem was formally launched to challenge Marcos and at long last put an end to his twenty-year martial rule. In the subsequent political developments and events, Marcos aerated that Aquino was being escorted by communists and agreed to share power with them once elected into power.A political novice, Aquino categorically denied Marcos charge and even express that she would non appoint a single communist to her cabinet. Running on the offensive, the ailing Marcos also accused Aquino of playing political football with the United States with respect to the continued United States military presence in the Philippines at Clark Air Base and Subic oceanic Base. Further, the male strongman derided Aquino s cleaning ladyhood, by saying that she was just a woman whose place was in the bedroom. In repartee to her opponents sexist remark, Aquino simply remarked that may the better woman win in this election.Marcos also attacked Aquinos inexperience and warned the country that it would be a disaster if a woman like her with no forward political experience would be elected president to which Aquino cleverly and sardonically responded, admitting that she had no experience in cheating, lying to the public, stealing regimen money, and killing political opponents. The snap election called by Marcos which was held on February 7,1986 was marred by massive electoral fraud, violence, intimidation, coercion and disenfranchisement of voters. Election Day proved to be bloody as one of Aquinos staunchest allies Antique regulator Evelio Javier was brutally murdered, allegedly by one of Marcos supporters in his province. Further, during the counting and tallying of votes conducted by the Commissio n on Elections (COMELEC), 30 poll computer technicians walked out to battle and contest the alleged election-rigging done in favor of Marcos.Despite this, the Batasang Pambansa, which was rule by allies of the ruling party, declared President Marcos as the achiever in the recently concluded snap presidential election on February 15, 1986. In protest to the declaration of the Philippine parliament, Aquino called for a rally dubbed Tagumpay ng call foran ( volumes Victory Rally) the following day, during which she claimed that she was the real winner in the snap election and urged Filipinos to boycott the p magnetic poleucts and services by companies controlled or owned by Marcos cronies. The rally held at the historic Rizal Park in Luneta, Manila displace a mammoth-sized crowd, which sent a strong signal that Filipinos were already growth tired of Marcos two decade-rule. Further, the dubious election results drew sharp reactions from both(prenominal) topical anesthetic quarte rs and unknown countries.The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines issued a educational activity strongly criticizing the conduct of the election which was characterized by violence and fraud. The United States Senate condemned the election. Aquino rejected a power-sharing agreement proposed by the American diplomatPhilip Habib, who had been sent as an detective by U.S. President Ronald Reagan to help defuse the tension. After weeks of tension following the disputed outcome of the snap election, disgruntled and reformist military officers, led by then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and General Fidel V.Ramos, surprised the entire nation and the whole world when they announced their defection from President Marcos and their strong belief that Aquino was the real winner in the presidential election on February 22, 1986. Upon the urging and encouragement of the activist Cardinal Archbishop of Manila Jaime Sin, millions of Filipinos trooped to bivouac Aguinaldo along Ep ifanio De los Santos Avenue (EDSA), where Enrile and Ramos have been holding operations, to give their moral support and prayers for the reformist soldiers. At that time, Aquino was meditating in a Carmelite convent in Cebu.Upon knowledge of the defection, Aquino called onFilipinos to rally behind Minister Enrile and General Ramos. Later on, Aquino flew back to Manila in order to prepare to assume the presidency upon the cartridge ejector of Marcos. Finally, to the amazement and admiration of the entire world, after twenty years of martial rule, Ferdinand Marcos was driven out from power and Corazn Aquino was formally and peacefully cuss in as the new president of a freed and liberated Philippines on February 25, 1986, a historic event which is now known and remembered as the 1986 EDSA People Power mutation.In Presidency, the triumph of the peaceful People Power Revolution and the ascension of Corazn Aquino into power signaled the end of authoritarian rule in the Philippines and the dawning of a new era for Filipinos. The relatively peaceful port by which Aquino came into power drew outside(a) acclaim and admiration non only for her besides for the Filipino people, as well. During the first months of Aquinos presidency, the country experienced radical changes and sweeping democratic reforms. One of Aquinos first moves was the creation of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was tasked to go after the Marcos ill-gotten wealth.Aquino, being a revolutionary president by virtue of people power, abolished the 1973 Marcos Constitution and dissolved the Marcos allies-dominated Batasang Pambansa, despite the advice of her vice-president and only set up minister Salvador Laurel. She also immediately created a Constitutional Commission, which she directed for the indite of a new constitution for the nation. Immediately after assuming the presidency, President Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, which established a revolutionary government . She abolished the 1973 Constitution that was in force during martial law, and instead promulgated the provisional 1986 Freedom Constitution, pending the check of a new Constitution by the people.This allowed her to exercise both executive and legislative powers until the ratification of the new Philippine Constitution and the shaping of a new Congress in 1987. Aquino promulgated two drainage basin legal codes, namely, the Family Code of 1987, which reformed the civil law on family relations, and the administrative Code of 1987, which reorganise the structure of the executive branch of government. Another drainage area law that was enacted during her tenure was the 1991 LocalGovernment Code, which devolved national government powers to local anaesthetic government units (LGUs).The new Code enhanced the power of LGUs to enact local taxation measures and assured them of a share in the national revenue. Aquino unsympathetic down the Marcos-dominated Batasang Pambansa to prevent the new Marcos loyalist opposition from undermining her democratic reforms and reorganise the membership of the tyrannical appeal to restore its independence. In May 1986, the reorganized Supreme Court declared the Aquino government as not unless a de facto government but in fact and law a de jure government, whose legitimacy had been affirmed by the community of nations. This Supreme Court decision affirmed the status of Aquino as the rightful leader of the Philippines. To fast-track the takings of a full constitutional government and the writing of a new charter, she appointed 48 members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (Con-Com), led by retired activist Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muoz-Palma.The Con-Com completed its final draftsmanship in October 1986. On February 2, 1987, the new Constitution of the Philippines, which put strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights and affable justice, was overwhelmingly approved by the Filipino people. As soon as she assumed the presidency of the Philippines, Aquino moved quickly to tackle the issue of the US$26 billion foreign debt incurred by her predecessor, which has badly tarnished the international credit standing and economic nature of the country. After weighing all possible options much(prenominal) as choosing not to pay, Aquino eventually chose to honor all the debts that were previously incurred in order to die the countrys image. Her decision proved to be unpopular but Aquino defended that it was the most practical move.It was crucial for the country at that time to witness the investors confidence in the Philippine sparing. Since 1986, the Aquino brass has paid off $4 billion of the countrys outstanding debts to regain good international credit ratings and attract the attention of future markets. Nevertheless, the administration borrowed an additional $9 billion, change magnitude the national debt by $5 billion within 6 years time since the ouster of former President Fer dinand Marcos in 1986. Further, recognizing how brother capitalism zapped out the economy due to collusion between government and big business and adhering to the Catholic social principle of subsidiarity, President Aquino set out on a course of market liberalization schedule while at the same time emphasizing solidarity, people say-so and civic engagement to help alleviate poverty in the country.The Aquino administration also sought to bring back fiscal discipline in order as it aimed to trim down the governments compute deficit that ballooned during Marcos term through privatization of bad government assets and deregulation of many vital industries. As president, Aquino sought out to dismantle the cartels, monopolies and oligopolies of important industries that were set up by Marcos cronies during the dark days of Martial Law, particularly in the sugar and coconut industries. By discarding these monopolies and allowing market-led prices and competition, small farmers and produc ers were given a unclouded chance to sell their produce and products at a more reasonable, belligerent and profitable price. This, in a way, also helped a lot in improving the lot of farmers who are in dire need of increasing their personal income and earnings. It was also during Aquinos time that vital economic laws such as the Built-Operate-Transfer Law, Foreign Investments Act and the Consumer Protection and Welfare Act were enacted.The economy posted a positive growth of 3.4% during her first year in office. But in the aftermath of the 1989 coup attempt by the rightist Reform the Armed Forces Movement, the Philippine economy remained stagnant. In her final year in office, inflation was raging at 17%, and unemployment was slightly over 10%, higher than the Marcos years. Overall, the economy under Aquino had an average growth of 3.8% from 1986 to 1992. currently after taking office, Aquino declared that the presence of US military forces in the Philippines was an affront to nat ional sovereignty. She ordered the United States military to vacate U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay and Clark Air Base.The US objected, pointing that they had leased the property and the leases were whitewash in effect. Also, thousands of Filipinos worked at these military facilities and they would lose their jobs and the Filipino economy would yen if the US Military moved out. The US stated that the facilities at Subic Bay were unequaled anywhere in Southeast Asia and a US get out out could make all of that region of the world vulnerable to an penetration by the Soviet Union or by a revived Japan. She refused to back down and insisted that the USA get out. The matter was still being debated when Mount Pinatubo erupted in June 1991, covering the entire area with volcanic ash. The end to the bases was so severe that the US decided that it would best to pull out after all, so the bases were closed and the United Statesdeparted.President Aquino envisioned rural and land reform as the ce nterpiece of her administrations social legislative agenda. However, her family background and social class as a inside daughter of a wealthy and landed clan became a lightning rod of criticisms against her land reform agenda. On February 22, 1987, three weeks after the resounding ratification of the 1987 Constitution, agrarian workers and farmers marched to the historic Mendiola Street near the Malacaan Palace to demand current land reform from Aquinos administration. However, the march turned violent when maritime forces fired at farmers who tried to go beyond the designated demarcation line set by the police. As a result, 12 farmers were killed and 19 were hurt in this incident now known as the Mendiola Massacre.This incident led some prominent members of the Aquino Cabinet to resign their government posts. In repartee to calls for agrarian reform, President Aquino issued Presidential Proclamation 131 and Executive Order 229 on July 22, 1987, which outlined her land reform d esign, which included sugar lands. In 1988, with the title of Aquino, the new Congress of the Philippines passed Republic Act No. 6657, more popularly known as the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law.The law coat the way for the redistribution of agricultural lands to tenant-farmers from landowners, who were paid in exchange by the government through just compensation but were also allowed to retain not more than five hectares of land. However, corporate landowners were also allowed under the law to voluntarily divest a proportion of their capital stock, equity or lodge in favor of their workers or other qualified beneficiaries, in placement of turning over their land to the government for redistribution.Despite the flaws in the law, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in 1989, declaring that the writ of execution of the comprehensive agrarian reform program provided by the said law, was a revolutionary kind of expropriation. Despite the implementation of CARP, Aquino was not spared from the controversies that eventually centered on Hacienda Luisita, a 6,453-hectare estate dictated in the Province of Tarlac, which she, together with her siblings inherited from her father Jose Cojuangco (Don Pepe) Critics argued that Aquino bowed to compress from relatives by allowing stock redistribution under Executive Order 229.Canadian International bread for Freedom, International Democracy accolade from the International Association of policy-making Consultants on 1986. Prize For Freedom Award from Liberal International on 1987. In 1993 she achieved the Special Peace Award from the Aurora Aragon Quezon Peace Awards keister and Concerned Women of the Philippines.She also achieved Path to Peace Award on 1995. J. Willia Fullbright Prize for International pinch from the U.S Department of State. Also Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding and Pearl S. Buck on 1998. In 1999, she achieved One of Time clips 20 Most Influential Asians of the 20t h Century. World Citizenship Award on 2001. In 2005, she also achieved the David Rockefeller Bridging Leadership Awards and One of the Worlds Elite Women Who Make a Difference by the International Womens Forum Hall of Fame. One of Time Magazines 65 Asian Heroes on 2006. One of Different Views 15 Champions of World Democracy on 2008. Aquino also achieved the EWC Asia Pacific Community twist Award, Womens International Center International Leadership Living legacy Award, Martin Luther King, Jr. Nonviolent Peace Prize, and United Nations Development Fund for Women Noel basis Life Award.