Corazon Aquino, Politician

“I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.” First female president of the Philippines Corazon Aquino passed away on August 1, 2009. She rose to prominence in the People Power Revolution after her husband, an ardent critic of Ferdinand Marcos, was assassinated in 1983. She ran for president against Marcos, who had been president for 20 years, in 1986. Although Marcos claimed he won, he was accused of electoral fraud and ousted in a bloodless coup. As President, she limited the power of the president and reinstated the bicameral congress. She focused on civil liberties and human rights. She stated “Politics must not remain a bastion of male dominance, for there is much that women can bring into politics that would make our world a kinder, gentler place for humanity to thrive in.” She is considered the “mother of democracy” because she successfully & peacefully transitioned the Marcos regime to a democracy.