Corazon Aquino of the Philippines Quiz

Answer: 1986

Aquino was sworn in as the first female president of the Philippines on February 25, 1986 and she served until June 30, 1992.

Answer: Roman Catholic

Aquino received a Catholic education and she and her husband both drew strength and guidence from their faith. While imprisoned he prayed and attended mass regularly and she went on a spiritual retreat while making the decision to run for political office. Support from many Catholics in the Philippines was helpful in her political career, but they did not always support her decisions.

Answer: He was assassinated.

Senator Benigno Aquino openly opposed the government in place in the Philippines in 1972 and when martial law was declared in that year he was soon imprisoned. He remained in prison until 1980 when he was released and allowed to go to the US for medical treatment.

In 1983 he returned to the Philippines at the encouragement of a group who opposed the government then in power. He was assassinated on the tarmac at the airport in Manila.

Answer: Ferdinand Marcos

Ferdinand Marcos of the Nationalist Party was elected as president in 1965 and re-elected in 1969. In the face of unrest, economic trouble, and the growing presence of communists he declared martial law in 1972. He remained in power until Aquino became president in 1986. Fidel Ramos had been Armed Forces Vice Chief of Staff in Marcos' administration and would later become Defense Secretary in Aquino's administration. Laurel was Aquino's running-mate. Roces was a businessman who initiated the Cory Aquino for President movement.

Answer: 6

Aquino defied the odds and much speculation and was able to remain in power as president of the Philippines from 1986 to 1992. Following her term of service Aquino supported Fidel Ramos as the next president and he was elected.

Answer: agrarian reform

Aquino worked to break up the monopoly in the sugar industry. She passed laws that redistributed lands to tenant farmers from large landowners and corporations. These large landowners were compensated for their land, but it was still a controversial issue on many fronts.

Answer: Mount Pinatubo

Mount Pinatubo erupted in 1991, killing three hundred people, and the devestation to agriculture in the area was severe. In 1990 a strong earthquake in Luzon left 1600 dead. Tropical Storm Thelma or Typhoon Uring struck the Philippines in November 1991 and left 6000 dead. These were all disasters with which the Aquino administration had to deal.

Answer: closing the US military bases in the Philippines

The US miliatry presence in the Philippines dated back to the early 1900s so the closure of the major military bases had long-ranging effects even though it was done in a peaceful and orderly way. Almost 80,000 Filipinos had been employed by these bases so this was just one of the challenges facing the country following the closure of the bases.

Answer: Nobel Peace Prize (1986)

Aquion was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, but she did not win. She was widely recognized for the contribution that she made to freedom and democracy as well as her continuing service following her presidency.

Answer: her people

Aquino went from housewife to world leader because she accepted the opportunity to lead in a time of need. She was a woman of great faith, courage and dedication to her ideals.