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Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino dead at 76
CNN ^ | 7/31/2009

Posted on 07/31/2009 7:23:13 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino, whose "People Power" movement pushed out longtime strongman Ferdinand Marcos less than three years after her husband's assassination, has died at age 76, her family announced Saturday.

Aquino, the first woman to lead the Philippines, had been battling colon cancer since March 2008 and died of cardio-respiratory arrest at 3:18 a.m. Saturday (3:18 p.m. Friday ET), said Mai Mislang, a spokeswoman for her son, Philippine Sen. Benigno Aquino III.

Funeral arrangments were being set up, Mislang said. And Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has announced a 10-day mourning period for the former president, said Ray Donato, the country's consul-general in Atlanta.

"She was the agent of change in Philippine democracy, and almost all the Filipinos I know revered her during her presidency," Donato said.

Aquino had been born into a wealthy family and was educated in the United States. She had not been involved in politics before her husband, opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was gunned down at Manila's airport in August 1983 as he returned from exile.

The political novice took over the leadership of her husband's movement after his death and challenged Marcos in a 1986 election, making a yellow dress her trademark and bolstered by the support of the country's Roman Catholic churches.

Marcos had been backed by the United States, the former colonial power in the Philippines, for two decades as a stalwart anti-communist. He and his wife Imelda were friends of then-President Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy. But widespread allegations of electoral fraud and a mutiny by the country's military led the Reagan administration to withdraw its support, and Marcos went into exile in Hawaii.

(Excerpt) Read more at edition.cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aquino; corazonaquino; philippines
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CORAZON AQUINO, FIRST FEMALE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES


1 posted on 07/31/2009 7:23:13 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Wow, how time flies. From what I remember, she was a good leader.


2 posted on 07/31/2009 7:26:30 PM PDT by Obadiah (Obama: Chains you can believe in!)
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To: Obadiah

Was she the Marxist with 4000 pairs of shoes or the Marxist with 500 pairs.


3 posted on 07/31/2009 7:28:32 PM PDT by omega4179 ((/) Happened)
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To: omega4179

That was the Marcos with 4,000 pairs of shoes.


4 posted on 07/31/2009 7:31:11 PM PDT by InvisibleChurch (n o t i m e f o r a n e w t a g l i n e)
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To: omega4179
I believe you're thinking of Imelda Marcos.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!
5 posted on 07/31/2009 7:31:16 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
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To: Obadiah

Aquino accomplished the following things as president :

* She put in place a U.S.-style constitution that limited presidents to a single six-year term.

* Oversaw the closure of the major U.S. military bases in the country before leaving office in 1992.

* Her agrarian reform policy was enacted into law by the 8th Congress of the Philippines. Corporate landowners were allowed under the law to “voluntarily divest a proportion of their capital stock, equity or participation in favor of their workers or other qualified beneficiaries”, in lieu of turning over their land to the government for redistribution.

* Served as a beacon of stability for the country. After her 6 year term, she backed her Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos as her successor ( Ramos won the presidency in 1992 ).


6 posted on 07/31/2009 7:35:44 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: InvisibleChurch

Imelda Marcos, that’s the one that told all the kids that the Beatles had stood them up back in ‘65 (just before confiscating their ticket proceeds). She is at least part of the reason they decided to quit touring.


7 posted on 07/31/2009 7:40:43 PM PDT by thulldud (It HAS happened here!)
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To: ConorMacNessa

When her (Aquino’s) husband was iced getting off a plane in Manila, the nightlife in Manila slowed down a wee bit, for about an hour.... Anyone out there ever spend an evening or two having fun with the natives on Santa Monica St in Manila? The Manila Playboy Club was a place of inspiration for all who have visited.....


8 posted on 07/31/2009 7:43:00 PM PDT by libertyhoundusnr
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To: SeekAndFind

Just dazing off into remembrance land and fond memories of Subic Bay.


9 posted on 07/31/2009 7:44:56 PM PDT by doc1019 (Obama? Not so much.)
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To: doc1019

Comeon you aren’t going to share us your sordid tales of debauchery?


10 posted on 07/31/2009 7:52:17 PM PDT by Anti-Kenyan
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To: libertyhoundusnr
My experience in the Philippines was limited to a couple of transits through Clark AFB in the 60's.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!
11 posted on 07/31/2009 7:52:18 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
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To: SeekAndFind

She impressed me. Marcos killed her husband right out in front of everyone, because he thought he could get away with it. She rose up and drove him out of office and out of the country.


12 posted on 07/31/2009 7:55:21 PM PDT by marron
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To: ConorMacNessa

As a sailor in the late 60’s early 70’s, the Philippines, especially Subic Bay, was a perpetual carnival of wine (beer), women and song. The port of call of all ports of call for the Westpac fleet. Nothing but fond memories of my many visits to this cherished and often overlooked jewel of the orient. Love the country and people.

You missed and experience by just passing through.


13 posted on 07/31/2009 8:00:15 PM PDT by doc1019 (Obama? Not so much.)
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To: ConorMacNessa

A great deal is to get sent to Subic for 6 mo with per diem. A great accomplishment is to walk rather than be carried into alcohol rehab. Still think it’s boring just having one girl for a date....


14 posted on 07/31/2009 8:02:02 PM PDT by libertyhoundusnr
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To: doc1019
I'm sure I did - the first time I went through was 1963 when I was 15 years old - my dad was posted to duty in Taiwan and we had an overnight layover in a Quonset hut at Clark. The second time was August, 1969 when I was medevac'd through Clark on my way home. Have never had the opportunity to go back to the PI.

Lamh Foistenach Abu!
15 posted on 07/31/2009 8:06:18 PM PDT by ConorMacNessa (HM/2 USN, 3/5 Marines, RVN 1969. St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle!)
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To: SeekAndFind

She was a class act who brought a lot of stability to the Philippines. She turned out the corrupt Marcos cronies and oversaw the successful transition to a rule of law. The amazing thing was not one life was lost during the Yellow Revolution.

Even though her husband was murdered by Marcos thugs at the airport in the early ‘80s, Cory kept a positive outlook that the Philippines could be a better place. Unlike the marxist we have in the White House at present, Cory continued to press for market-driven solutions to economic problems.


16 posted on 07/31/2009 8:08:18 PM PDT by ScottinVA
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To: omega4179

Have some respect; Cory was an amazing case in leadership. And despite some political differences I would gladly trade her for the dirty commie in the White House right now.


17 posted on 07/31/2009 8:12:02 PM PDT by manapua
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To: ConorMacNessa

Gee, had the wonderful privilege of medevacing through Clark myself in early 69. Found myself in the fleet later and got to visit the Philippines under much better circumstances.


18 posted on 07/31/2009 8:15:05 PM PDT by doc1019 (Obama? Not so much.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I am really sad to hear this.

God bless her and her family!


19 posted on 07/31/2009 8:17:40 PM PDT by Danae (I AM JIM THOMPSON - Conservative does not equal Republican. Conservative does not compromise.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Her husband was Ninoy Aquino.

He publicly showed himself wearing a bulletproof vest when he was getting on the plane back to the Philippines; publicly announced he was returning, and gave the flight number.

The Marcos' had him shot ... in the head, shortly after he stepped off the plane. That led to their downfall and removal from power.

20 posted on 07/31/2009 8:18:38 PM PDT by ikka (Brother, you asked for it!)
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