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Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Photo by JO2 ROGER DUTCHER- Wikimedia commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Corazon Aquino

Aquino was born in Manila on January 25, 1933. The sixth of eight children in a rich Chinese-Filipino family that owned a sugar plantation and a bank, I was born in a farming town in Tarlac province, north of the capital Manila.

She went to Saint Scholastica’s College, a Roman Catholic private school, until it was blown up at the end of WWII. Aquino then moved to Assumption College for her freshman year of high school. Due to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines at the time, she was obliged to learn Japanese.

1.By chance, she was her grade school valedictorian

This is most likely the standard of Cory being thrust into the spotlight by accident. Cory did well for herself at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, unlike her husband Ninoy, who deemed himself an average student, with grades that were neither above the 90s nor below the 70s. In fact, she was meant to be the class top student.

However, as destiny would have it, World War II forced her classmate, the graduating valedictorian, to flee with her family. Cory eventually graduated as the class valedictorian.

2.She was fluent in both Japanese and French

Cory was able to communicate in her native Kapampangan, Tagalog, and English, as well as Japanese and French.

She learned Nippongo as a child during the war and was even given a bag of sugar-coated peanuts (a luxury at the time) by some Japanese soldiers after perfectly reciting a Japanese poem to them. She learned French while attending the College of Mount Saint Vincent in the United States.

When she went on a state visit to France in 1989, she became a celebrity and was known as “la dame en jaune” (lady in yellow), even giving an interview in French. 

In fact, the French were the first foreigners to recognize Aquino’s credibility as president.

3.She had a little ‘experience in politics’

Aquinos campaigning in 1986: Snap Election. Photo by National Library of the Philippines- Wikimedia commons

Cory, despite common belief, did have some experience in politics. During her time in the United States, Cory signed up for the junior Republicans and volunteered to support New York Governor Thomas Dewey against Democrat Harry Truman in the 1948 elections.

4.She, like her husband, studied law

Cory returned to the Philippines in 1953 and enrolled at Far Eastern University for a law degree, not because she wanted to be a lawyer, but because she displayed a fascination with the subject.

After a year, she discontinued her studies and married Benigno S. Aquino Jr., who had previously studied law but dropped out to explore journalism.

5.She was originally dissatisfied with Ninoy’s political interests

Despite our long portrayed Cory as Ninoy’s silent but supportive housewife, she was initially sceptical of his political ambitions. She was unaccustomed to traveling with Ninoy, particularly on his campaign trail.

In one case, she and her husband, who was running for mayor of his hometown at the time, had to ride a carabao cart through a knee-deep swamp to reach a remote barrio. They stayed there for one night, sleeping in a hut with only a pineapple can as a makeshift toilet. As per her, that was her baptism by fire.

When Ninoy was mayor, she didn’t enjoy it when individuals came to their house, sometimes they would literally be inside their bedroom. Apart from that, she had a qualm about other people using her embroidered towels for family use.

In fact, Cory was comforted by the fact the Supreme Court ruled Ninoy’s mayoral election unconstitutional due to his youth.

6.She forewent going to beauty salons and purchasing new clothes for her husband

Philippine President Corazon Aquino. Photo by JO2 ROGER DUTCHER- Wikimedia commons

Cory did her best to express support with Ninoy’s hardship after Marcos announced martial law in 1972 and incarcerated him along with his other critics. To that end, she avoided going to hair salons and didn’t buy any new clothes, and she warned her children not to go to parties. A priest later recommended her against it, telling her to live an ordinary a life as much as she could.

7.She used sedatives to keep from crying

Cory promised during her husband’s prison sentence that she would be strong for him and would not let his enemies see her cry. She used tranquilizers before going out in public or visiting her incarcerated husband for this reason.

Ninoy wrote in his diary that he was embarrassed of himself for crying while his wife never shed a tear. Cory later explained that she was able to maintain control because she was “equipped with tranquilizers.”

8.She could have run for re-election in 1992, but she declined

As her presidency came to an end in 1992, her supporters and allies highlighted  that because she had not been sworn into office under the 1987 Constitution, Cory could still run for re-election.

She denied, simply saying that she needed to establish an example among the individuals and elected officials that being president is not a lifelong role, as her previous leader had.

9.She drove a regular car after handing over the presidency to Ramos

When Cory Aquino eventually handed over the reins to Fidel Ramos, she did so in a simple white Toyota Crown, rather than a government-issued Mercedes. This was to emphasize that she had no hesitation about surrendering her presidency and had reverted to a private citizen.

In a departure from the Marcoses’ luxurious cars and vans, she gave her security detail a logistical nightmare during her own swearing in ceremony by ordering them to abide by the traffic lights.

10.Her illness and eventual death

Aquinos campaigning in 1986: Snap Election. Photo by National Library of the Philippines- Wikimedia commons

Aquino’s family stated on March 24, 2008, that the former president had been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She sought medical attention and cancer treatment after being told by her doctors that she only had three months to live.

For Aquino’s recovery, a series of healing Masses were held across the country. She was a devout Catholic. Aquino said in a press announcement during a healing Mass on May 13, 2008, that her blood tests showed she was reacting well to treatment, despite her hair and appetite loss.

By July 2009, Aquino was said to be losing her appetite and in critical condition. She was being treated at Makati Medical Centre at the time. It was later revealed that Aquino and her family had opted to discontinue her chemotherapy and other treatment options.

Aquino died of cardiorespiratory arrest on August 1, 2009, at the age of 76, in the Makati Medical Centre.