Benigno Aquino III
Who was Benigno Aquino III?
President of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, son of democracy icons Corazon and Ninoy Aquino, who focused on anti-corruption reforms during his administration.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Benigno Aquino III (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III, known as Noynoy or PNoy, was born on February 8, 1960, in Manila, Philippines, and passed away on June 24, 2021, in Quezon City. He was the 15th president of the Philippines, serving from 2010 to 2016, and was a member of the Liberal Party. As the son of assassinated senator Benigno Aquino Jr., known as Ninoy, and Corazon Aquino, the 11th President of the Philippines, he came from a respected political family in Tarlac. His life was closely linked to the fight for democracy in the Philippines, especially during the family's opposition to Ferdinand Marcos's rule.
Aquino studied economics at Ateneo de Manila University. Before becoming president, he had a legislative career of over ten years. He started as a House of Representatives member in 1998 and later became a senator, serving as deputy speaker of the House from 2004 to 2006. His bid for the presidency gained momentum after his mother, Corazon Aquino, passed away in 2009. The public was moved by this and saw him as a continuation of his parents' democratic ideals. He won the 2010 presidential election and took office on June 30, 2010, after Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
As president, Aquino focused on anti-corruption, using the slogan 'If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor.' His time in office saw strong economic growth, with the country noted internationally as a 'Rising Tiger' economy. He pushed for accountability and prosecuted former officials, including former president Arroyo, for electoral sabotage.
Aquino also took a firm stand in foreign policy, notably by filing a case, Philippines v. China, with the Permanent Court of Arbitration over China's claims in the South China Sea. The court decided in favor of the Philippines in 2016, but China ignored the ruling. After his presidency, Aquino was involved in legal issues related to the Mamasapano clash, a 2015 operation in Mindanao that led to many police commandos' deaths, and charges concerning a budget plan called the Disbursement Acceleration Program. He was cleared of all charges related to Mamasapano. He died on June 24, 2021, in Quezon City, due to renal disease caused by diabetes.
Before Fame
Born into a politically important family in the Philippines, Benigno Aquino III grew up during a time of significant political unrest. His father, Ninoy Aquino, was a key opposition senator who was assassinated in 1983 upon returning to the Philippines after being in exile. This event sparked the movement that eventually overthrew the Marcos dictatorship. Noynoy witnessed his father's assassination at the tarmac, a moment that strongly influenced his political views. His mother, Corazon Aquino, later led the People Power Revolution of 1986, which restored democracy in the country.
After earning an economics degree at Ateneo de Manila University, Aquino started his political career in 1998 as a member of the House of Representatives. This was both a family tradition and a personal dedication to the democratic values his parents represented. His time in the legislature was consistent, if not outstanding. However, after his mother's death in August 2009, he became a symbol of national mourning, quickly becoming a presidential candidate who carried the emotional weight of the movement to restore democracy in the Philippines.
Key Achievements
- Served as the 15th President of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016, overseeing some of the country's strongest economic growth in decades
- Initiated the landmark arbitration case Philippines v. China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruled in the Philippines' favor regarding South China Sea territorial claims
- Pursued successful prosecution of former president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on electoral sabotage charges as part of anti-corruption efforts
- Presided over a period of economic expansion in which the Philippines gained recognition as a 'Rising Tiger' economy
- Received the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, the Star of the Republic of Indonesia, the Order pro Merito Melitensi, and the Order of Lakandula
Did You Know?
- 01.Aquino was on the tarmac at Manila International Airport on August 21, 1983, when his father Ninoy Aquino was shot and killed upon returning from exile.
- 02.He remained a bachelor throughout his presidency, making him the first unmarried president of the Philippines in the modern era.
- 03.The arbitration ruling in Philippines v. China, which his administration initiated, was delivered just weeks before he left office in July 2016.
- 04.He was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum by Japan, one of that country's highest honors extended to foreign dignitaries.
- 05.His presidential campaign slogan 'Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap' (If no one is corrupt, no one will be poor) became one of the most recognized political phrases of his era in the Philippines.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum | — | — |
| Star of the Republic of Indonesia | — | — |
| Order pro Merito Melitensi | — | — |
| Order of Lakandula | — | — |