 Aquino in 1986 | |
| Presidency of Corazon Aquino February 25, 1986 – June 30, 1992 | |
Corazon C. Aquino | |
| Cabinet | See list |
| Party | UNIDO (1986–87) Independent (1987–92) |
| Election | 1986 |
| Seat | Malacañang Palace,Manila |
| ||
|---|---|---|
President of the Philippines
Post-Presidency | ||
Corazon Aquino began her presidency on February 25, 1986, following thePeople Power Revolution as the11thpresident of thePhilippines, succeedingFerdinand Marcos. Aquino's relatively peaceful ascension to the Philippine presidency signaled the end of authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines, and drew her and the Filipino people international acclaim and admiration.
During the first months of Aquino's presidency, the country experienced radical changes and sweeping democratic reforms. Aquino created thePresidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), which was tasked to go after theMarcos ill-gotten wealth; however, after her presidency, the PCGG itself was also implicated by corruption scandals when it was alleged that officials wanted a cut of the Marcos assets and officials were "milking" sequestered assets.[1][2][3] Aquino, being a revolutionary president by virtue of people power, repealed and abolished repressive laws under her predecessor, restored civil liberties, abolished the1973 "Marcos Constitution" and dissolved the Marcos allies, loyalists, supporters-dominatedBatasang Pambansa, despite the advice of her vice-president and only prime ministerSalvador Laurel. She also immediately created aConstitutional Commission, which she directed for the drafting of a new constitution for the nation.
Aquino appointed the following to theSupreme Court of the Philippines:
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Aquino inherited an economy that was bankrupt and debt-ridden as a result of twenty years of mismanagement under theMarcos regime. Aquino focused on revitalizing and rejuvenating the sagging economy. She made bold moves to dismantle the various monopolies perpetrated by President Ferdinand Marcos during his stay in power.
Aquino moved quickly to tackle the issue of the US$26 billion foreign debt incurred by her predecessor, deciding to honor all the debts that were incurred previously under different administrations instead of repudiating it; her decision proved to be unpopular but Aquino defended it, saying that it was the most practical move and choice to make as it was crucial for the country at that time to regain the confidence of investors and the international community in the Philippine economy. Since 1986, the Aquino administration has paid off $4 billion of the country's outstanding debts to regain good internationalcredit ratings and attract the attention of future markets. Nevertheless, her administration borrowed an additional $9 billion, increasing the national debt by $6 billion within six years since the ouster of President Marcos in 1986.
The Aquino administration sought to bring backfiscal discipline in order as it aimed to trim the government'sbudget deficit that ballooned during Marcos' term throughprivatization of bad government assets andderegulation of many vital industries. It was also during Aquino's term that vital economic laws such as theBuild-Operate-Transfer Law, Foreign Investments Act and the Consumer Protection and Welfare Act were enacted.
The economy posted a positive growth of 3.4% during her first year in office. But in the aftermath of the1989 coup attempt, the Philippine economy remained stagnant. In her final year in office, inflation had risen to 17%, and unemployment was slightly over 10%, higher than the Marcos' years.
Immediately after assuming the presidency, Aquino issued Proclamation No. 3, which established arevolutionary government. She abolished the1973 Constitution that was in force duringmartial law, and instead promulgated the provisional1986 Freedom Constitution, pending the ratification of a new Constitution by the people. This allowed Aquino to exercise both executive and legislative powers until the ratification of the new Philippine Constitution and the establishment ofa new Congress in 1987.[5]
Aquino and other top officials fired pro-Marcos governors and mayors, replacing them in all provinces with people loyal to Aquino.[6] Aquino's new government was met with criticism from Defense MinisterJuan Ponce Enrile and Vice PresidentSalvador Laurel; constitutionalist and retired Supreme Court JusticeCecilia Muñoz-Palma also vehemently opposed the move. "To declare her government “revolutionary" and abolish theBatasan Pambansa was to behave no better than Dictator Marcos", Palma said.[7] Homobono Adaza, who brokered the opposition coalition, "when theUnited Democratic Opposition (UNIDO) decided to support Cory for President, the agreement with Cory was that the type of government of Marcos would be continued, with Cory as ceremonial President, since everyone knew that Cory had no knowledge of how to run the country, and Cory admitted this."[8] Enrile and Laurel subsequently resigned from Aquino's government.
Aquino promulgated two landmarklegal codes: theFamily Code of 1987, which reformed thecivil law on family relations;[9] and theAdministrative Code of 1987, which reorganized the structure of theexecutive branch of government.[10] Another landmark law enacted during her tenure was the 1991Local Government Code, whichdevolved national government powers tolocal government units (LGUs); the new Code also enhanced the power of LGUs to enact local taxation measures and assured them ofa share in the national revenue.[11]
Likewise, Aquino closed down the Marcos-dominatedBatasang Pambansa to prevent the new Marcos loyalist opposition from undermining her democratic reforms, and reorganized the membership of theSupreme Court to restore its independence. In May 1986, the reorganized Supreme Court declared the Aquino government as "not merely a de facto government but in fact and law a de jure government", whose legitimacy had been affirmed by the community of nations.[12] This Supreme Court decision significantly affirmed the status of Aquino as the new, legitimate and rightful leader of the Philippines.
To fast-track the restoration of a full constitutional government and the writing of a new charter, Aquino appointed 48 members of the 1986 Constitutional Commission (Con-Com), led by retired activist Supreme Court Associate JusticeCecilia Muñoz-Palma. The Con-Com completed its final draft in October 1986.[13] On February 2, 1987, the newConstitution of the Philippines, which put strong emphasis on civil liberties, human rights and social justice, wasoverwhelmingly approved by the Filipino people.[14] The ratification of the new Constitution was followed by the election ofsenators andcongress that same year and the holding oflocal elections in 1988.
Upon her ascension into power, President Aquino envisioned agrarian andland reform as the centerpiece of her administration's social legislative agenda. Her family background and social class as a privileged and landed daughter ofa wealthy and landed clan became a lightning rod of criticisms against her land reform agenda. On January 22, 1987, agrarian workers and farmers marched to the historicMendiola Street nearMalacañan Palace to demand genuine land reform from Aquino's administration. The farmers' march turned bloody and violent when Marine forces fired at farmers who tried to go beyond the designated demarcation line set by the police. As a result, 12 farmers were killed and 19 were injured in this incident now known as theMendiola massacre. This tragic incident led some prominent members of the Aquino Cabinet like the nationalist and progressive senatorJose W. Diokno to quit from their government posts. Though Aquino did not have any personal and official involvement with the drastic actions taken by some police elements, her administration has been faulted since then for failing to solve land disputes in the country.
In response to calls for agrarian reform, Aquino issued Presidential Proclamation 131 and Executive Order 229 on July 22, 1987, which outlined her land reform program, which included sugar lands. In 1988, with the backing of Aquino, the newCongress of the Philippines passedRepublic Act No. 6657, more popularly known as theComprehensive Agrarian Reform Law. The law paved the way for the redistribution of agricultural lands totenant farmers fromlandowners, who were paid in exchange by the government throughjust compensation but were also allowed to retain not more than five hectares of land.[15] Corporate landowners were also allowed under the law to "voluntarily divest a proportion of theircapital 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.[16] Despite the flaws in the law, the Supreme Court upheld its constitutionality in 1989, declaring that the implementation of theComprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP), provided by the said law, was "a revolutionary kind of expropriation."[17]
Despite the implementation of CARP, Aquino was not spared from the controversies that eventually centered onHacienda Luisita, a 6,453-hectare (15,950-acre) estate located in the province ofTarlac, which was a shared inheritance among the Cojuangco clan.[18] She was scored for allowing Hacienda Luisita, which was now owned by the Tarlac Development Corporation, to opt for stock distribution, instead of land redistribution. As such, ownership of agricultural portions of the hacienda were transferred to the corporation, which in turn, gave its shares of stocks to farmers.[18]
The arrangement remained in force until 2006, when theDepartment of Agrarian Reform revoked the stock distribution scheme adopted in Hacienda Luisita, and ordered instead the redistribution of a large portion of the property to the tenant-farmers.[19] The department stepped into the controversy when in 2004, violence erupted over the retrenchment of workers in the Hacienda, eventually leaving seven people dead.[18]
Shortly after assuming the presidency, Aquino offered peace talks with theCommunist Party of the Philippines-New Peoples Army (CPP-NPA) and released all political prisoners, including CPP leaderJose Maria Sison. A brief ceasefire between the government and the rebels groups which began in December 1986 collapsed a month after. Aquino, with the support of the military, conservatives, and the United States, launched a "total war policy" against the CPP-NPA.[20] She signed an order creatinga citizen armed force that would complement and support the regular forces of the military in responding to all types of threats to national security;[21][22] she also criminalized rebellion to become punishable by life in prison.[21]
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When Aquino assumed the presidency in 1986,₱31 billion, slightly more than 25 percent of the government's budget, was allocated to public sector enterprises—government-owned or government-controlled corporations—in the form of equity infusions,subsidies, and loans. Aquino also found it necessary to write off₱130 billion in bad loans granted by the government's two major financial institutions, thePhilippine National Bank (PNB) and theDevelopment Bank of the Philippines (DBP), "to those who held positions of power and conflicting interest under Marcos".
Burdened with 296 public sector enterprises, plus 399 other nonperforming assets transferred to the government by the PNB and the DBP, the Aquino administration established theAsset Privatization Trust in 1986 to dispose of government-owned and government-controlled properties. By early 1991, the Asset Privatization Trust had sold 230 assets with net proceeds of₱14.3 billion. Another seventy-four public sector enterprises that were created with direct government investment were put up for sale; fifty-seven enterprises were sold wholly or in part for a total of about₱6 billion. The government designated that about 30 percent of the original public sector enterprises be retained and expected to abolish another 20 percent. There was widespread controversy over the fairness of thedivestment procedure and its potential to contribute to an even greater concentration of economic power in the hands of a few wealthy families.[23][failed verification]
After the1986 EDSA Revolution, AquinosequesteredMarcos crony-owned radio and television stations such as theBanahaw Broadcasting Corporation,Radio Philippines Network andIntercontinental Broadcasting Corporation.[24][25] On July 16 and September 14, 1986,ABS-CBN resumed its operations after 14 years of their closure; its TV stationDWWX-TV and two radio stations were reopened.
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Since 1986, Aquino adoptedOriginal Pilipino Music (OPM) by issuing on July 25, 1987, Executive Order No. 255, which regularly broadcasts hourly OPM songs to all FM radio stations inMetro Manila and in the provinces to shape up Filipino culture.[26]
After the EDSA revolution, she removedMaharlika Broadcasting System (MBS), aMarcos government-owned TV network; the network ceased transmitting on February 24, 1986. The name of MBS was changed to its interim name The New TV-4 but it was officially rebranded as thePeople's Television Network (PTV) in April 1986. On March 26, 1992, PTV made a government broadcaster for the first time under Republic Act 7306 when it was signed.
Aquino encouraged the tourism sector to boost the national economy. Under her six-year term, theDepartment of Tourism launched a program calledThe Philippines: Fiesta Islands of Asia in 1989; the program offeredtourist visits in the country to show their natural wonders, to protect their indigenous peoples, to preserve heritage sites and to contribute historical importance.
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Under Aquino's administration, Filipino athletes brought home several medals in international sports events. The1986 Asian Games inSeoul,South Korea finished with the Philippines in sixth with 18 medals, the highest placement of the Philippines in two decades. In 1988, the1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, athleteLeopoldo Serantes got the bronze medal in the men's light flyweight division of boxing. Manila was to become the host city of the1991 Southeast Asian Games and the host country finished second place to Indonesia. To ensure the standards of its athletes, thePhilippine Sports Commission was established in 1990 as an institution to train future athletes in sports and international events.[27]
The Philippines experienced daily power disruptions during a period of Aquino's administration.[28] As part of Aquino's revitalized rural electrification program,Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost island province of the Philippines, started its regular 24-hour power service in 1989.[29]
Aquino's decision to mothball theBataan Nuclear Power Plant built during the Marcos administration due to dangers of environmental issues and safety of the Nuclear Power Plant, especially due to the recentChernobyl nuclear disaster, contributed to the power crisis in the 1990s, as the 620 megawatts capacity of the plant was enough to cover the shortfall at that time.[28]
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In September 1986, Aquino made her first state visit to the United States. She gave a speech in a joint session of theUnited States Congress with U.S. lawmakers wearing yellow ribbons symbolizing support to Aquino.
Following her speech in the United States Congress in 1986, theU.S. House of Representatives voted, 203 to 197, in favor of $200 million in emergency aid to her fledgling government. The vote, admitted DemocratGerald Kleczka of Wisconsin, amounted to "legislating with our hearts instead of our heads." Indeed, the measure only added to a foreign-aid budget that is already likely to be deeply slashed by the Gramm-Rudman budget-balancing mechanism.[30]
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On June 15, 1991,Mount Pinatubo, just 20 miles (32 km) fromSubic Bay, exploded with a force 8 times greater than theMount St. Helens eruption. Day turned to night as volcanic ash blotted out the sun. Volcanic earthquakes and heavy rain, lightning and thunder fromTyphoonYunya passing over northern Luzon made Black Saturday a 36-hour nightmare. By the morning of June 16, when the volcano's fury subsided, Subic Bay, once one of the most beautiful and well-maintained Navy bases in the Pacific, lay buried under a foot of rain-soaked, sandy ash.
That night, the threat of continued eruptions combined with the lack of water and electricity led to the decision to evacuate all dependents. U.S. warships and cargo planes beganthe emergency evacuation of thousands of Navy and Air Force dependents. Seven Navy ships sailed June 17, with 6,200 dependents. A total of 17 ships, including the aircraft carriers,USS Abraham Lincoln andUSSMidway evacuated all 20,000 dependents over the next few days. The evacuees were taken by ship toMactan Air Base and then were airlifted byU.S. Air ForceC-141 Starlifters toAndersen Air Force Base atGuam.
After the dependents were evacuated, an intense clean-up was begun. American service members and Filipino base employees, worked around the clock to restore essential services.Clark Air Base, much closer to Mount Pinatubo, was declared a total loss and plans for a complete closure were started. Within two weeksNAS Cubi Point was back in limited operation. Soon, most buildings had electricity and water restored. By mid-July service had been restored to most family housing units. The dependents began returning September 8, 1991, and by the end of the month almost all were back at Subic Bay from the United States.
Many months before the expiration of theMilitary Bases Agreement of 1947, intense negotiations between the governments of the United States and the Philippines began. These negotiations resulted in the Treaty of Friendship, Peace and Cooperation between the United States and the Philippines; this would have extended the lease of the American bases in the Philippines. On September 13, 1991, thePhilippine Senate rejected the ratification of this treaty, citing a number of reasons for the rejection. This was a devastating blow to theAquino administration, who were strongly pro-treaty and even called for a referendum by the Filipino people; a move that was declared unconstitutional.
In December 1991, the two governments were again in talks to extend the withdrawal of American forces for three years but this broke down as the United States refused to detail their withdrawal plans or to answer ifnuclear weapons were kept on base. Finally on December 27, Aquino, who had previously fought to delay the U.S. pullout to cushion the country's battered economy, issued a formal notice for the U.S. to leave by the end of 1992.Naval Station Subic Bay was the U.S.'s largest overseas defense facility afterClark Air Base was closed.
During 1992, tons of material includingdrydocks and equipment, were shipped to various Naval Stations. Ship-repair and maintenance yards as well as supply depots were relocated to other Asian countries including Japan and Singapore. Finally, on November 24, 1992, theAmerican Flag was lowered in Subic for the last time and the last 1,416 Sailors and Marines at Subic Bay Naval Base left by plane from NAS Cubi Point and by theUSS Belleau Wood. This withdrawal marked the first time since the 16th Century that no foreign military forces were present in the Philippines.
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Aquino worked towards restitution for some of thewrongs committed by Japan during World War II. New foreign aid agreements also were concluded during this visit. Aquino returned to Japan in 1989 forHirohito's funeral and in 1990 for the enthronement of EmperorAkihito. After a series of talks with four prime ministers fromYasuhiro Nakasone from 1986 to 1987, toKiichi Miyazawa from 1991 to 1992, the Japanese Government provided economic and trade relations between the two countries, massive inflow of Japanese investors and tourists, rehabilitation and construction of schools, hospitals and roads, and guaranteed justice for Filipinocomfort women after World War II. Also in an official state visit, she and Prime MinisterNoboru Takeshita received condolences in the wake ofMV Doña Paz tragedy.
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Aquino metSoviet General SecretaryMikhail Gorbachev in a state visit inMoscow in 1987. Aquino and Gorbachev agreed that the Philippines and the Soviet Union established the two-nation economic ties and to promote their reforms based on theperestroika andglasnost systems paved their way todemocracy, it also includes a Philippine–Soviet friendship.[clarification needed] She returned between 1991 and 1992 for the state visit with PresidentBoris Yeltsin since Russia was independent on December 25, 1991.
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In a state visit in China between Aquino and Chinese PremierDeng Xiaoping in 1988, the two leaders discussed the economic relations between the Philippines and China; she also visited Hong Jian village, the ancestral homes of the Conjuangcos, where her grandparents and children were born and raised before they migrated to the Philippines. Later, she went toSouth Korea between 1986 and 1988, for separate meetings with presidentsChun Doo-hwan andRoh Tae-woo in relation to Philippine–South Korean economic, social and cultural ties. Aquino and Roh also discussedunification talks between South andNorth Korea, which would have ended hostilities began during theKorean War in the 1950s.
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Aquino made her first state visits inSoutheast Asia; she went toSingapore, then toIndonesia, in August 1986, for separate meetings with SingaporeanPrime MinisterLee Kuan Yew and Indonesian PresidentSuharto in order to build trade and economic ties between the three countries. She also went toMalaysia in November 1987 to discuss territorial disputes inSabah with Prime MinisterMahathir Mohamad, and toThailand andBrunei for separate meetings with Prime MinisterPrem Tinsulanonda in April 1988, andSultanHassanal Bolkiah in August 1988. She and the member leaders of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met during ASEAN summits from 1986 to 1992.
Aquino went to theUnited Nations assembly in New York in July 1988 and made a speech during the 45th General Assembly; in her speech, Aquino spoke to the international community about democratic freedoms since the Philippines received freedom after the revolution in 1986, and promised to provide a resolution for the protection of migrant workers and their families. During the visit, she met withSecretary-GeneralJavier Pérez de Cuéllar to discuss anti-poverty and anti-insurgency measures in the Philippines.
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Aquino's administration-coalition won 22 out of the 24 senate seats in the1987 legislative election.
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From 1986 to 1987, there were six plots to overthrow the government of Aquino involving various members of theArmed Forces of the Philippines. A significant number of the military participants in these attempts belonged to theReform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) led byGringo Honasan, while others were identified loyalists to former presidentFerdinand Marcos, who had been deposed in February 1986. Two of the attempts—the November 1986God Save the Queen Plot and the July 1987 plot—were uncovered and quashed by authorities before they could be operationalized. Excluding theAugust 1987 Philippine coup attempt, which left 53 people dead, the other plots were repelled with minimal or no violence.
The most seriouscoup d'état against the government of Aquino was staged beginning December 1, 1989, by members of theArmed Forces of the Philippines belonging to theReform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) and soldiers loyal to former President Ferdinand Marcos. Metro Manila was shaken by the coup, where the rebels almost gained full control of thepresidential palace. The coup was completely defeated by Philippine Government forces on December 9, 1989.
The coup was led by ColonelGregorio Honasan, General Edgardo Abenina, and retired General Jose Ma. Zumel.[31]: 222 At the onset of the coup, the rebels seizedVillamor Airbase,Fort Bonifacio,Sangley Airbase,Mactan Airbase in Cebu, and portions ofCamp Aguinaldo. The rebels set patrols around the runway ofNinoy Aquino International Airport, effectively shutting it down.[31]: 222–225 From Sangley Airbase, the rebels launched planes and helicopters which bombarded and strafedMalacañan Palace,Camp Crame and Camp Aguinaldo.[31]: 229 Three hours after the fall ofVillamor Air Base, Aquino went on air to address the people, assuring them that the government "shall smash this naked attempt once more." At that point, the counterattack of the government forces began. Seven army trucks headed for the headquarters of the government-owned station Channel 4, where fierce fighting occurred between the forces. Defense SecretaryFidel Ramos and AFP Chief-of-StaffRenato de Villa monitored the crises from Camp Crame, headquarters of thePhilippine Constabulary. With loyal forces hard-pressed by the rebels, Aquino requested assistance from theUS Military, and, at the behest of her military commanders, granted. 120 marines, part of the 800-strong U.S. contingent stationed atSubic Naval Base were deployed at the grounds of theUS Embassy as a defensive measure. Aquino stated that the loyal forces lacked the ability to contain the rebel forces. American help was crucial to the Aquino cause, clearing the skies of rebel aircraft and allowing government military to consolidate their forces.
As the mutiny continued, Aquino declared an ultimatum for the rebels, giving them two choices, to surrender or to face death. GovernmentF-5 jets went to the skies and challenged rebel planes, and culminated with the destruction of the rebelT-28 Trojans. Government forces would recapture all military bases by December 3 except for Mactan Airbase, but rebel forces retreating from Fort Bonifacio occupied 22 high-rise buildings along the Ayala business area inMakati.[31]: 224 The government claimed the coup was crushed, but fierce fighting continued through the weekend; Camp Aguinaldo was set ablaze by the rebelhowitzers.
The occupation of Makati lasted until December 7, surrendering full control of Mactan Airbase on December 9.[31]: 229 The official casualty toll was 99 dead (including 50 civilians), with 570 more wounded.[31]: 376
The United States military supported the Aquino government during the coup. Operation "Classic Resolve" involved the use of U.S. airpower from the aircraft carriersMidway andEnterprise (CVN-65), andF-4 Phantom II fighters fromClark Air Base. TheU.S. Air force jets retook the skies for Aquino. The U.S. planes had clearance to "...buzz the rebel planes at their base, fire in front of them if any attempted to take off, and shoot them down if they did."[32][33]
Following the failure of this coup, Aquino established a fact-finding commission headed by then-COMELEC chairHilario Davide, Jr. to investigate and provide a full report on the series of coup attempts against her government. The report would become known as theDavide Commission Report.
Participants of the December 1989 coup would later blame perceived deficiencies in the Aquino government in areas as graft and corruption, bureaucratic inefficiency, and lenient treatment of communist insurgents as the reasons for the coup.[31]: 470 In response, the Davide Commission recommended several short-term and long-term counter-measures, including the establishment of a civilian national police force, a crackdown on corruption in the military, a performance review of appointive government officials, reforms in the process of military promotions, a review of election laws in time for the 1992 presidential elections, and a definitive statement on the part of Aquino on whether she intended to run for re-election in 1992.[31]: 509–530 [34]
Louie Beltran, a Filipino journalist, became notorious for mentioning in a column about the 1987 coup attempt that Aquino had been hiding under the bed during the coup. For this statement, he was sued by Aquino for libel. Aquino went so far as to show journalists that she could not fit under her bed. Beltran, who openly expressed his belief that the President was lacking in competence, countered that his words were not meant to be taken literally, but Aquino still pursued the case against him and the STAR's editor-in-chiefMaximo Soliven. On October 22, 1992, the court ruled in Aquino's favor, sentencing the columnist and his editor to 2 years of imprisonment and ordering them to pay 2 million pesos in moral damages. The Court of Appeals later reversed the decision of the trial court and acquitted Beltran.[35]
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During her last two years in office, Aquino's administration faced series ofnatural disasters and calamities. Among these were the1990 Luzon earthquake, which left around 1,600 people dead; and the1991 volcanic eruption of what was then thought to be a dormantMount Pinatubo, which was the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century,[36] killing around 300 people and causing widespread long-term devastation of agricultural lands inCentral Luzon. The worst loss of life occurred whenTropical Storm Thelma (also known as Typhoon Uring) caused massive flooding inOrmoc City in November 1991, leaving around 6,000 dead in what was considered to be the deadliest typhoon in Philippine history.
Under Aquino's term, theMVDoña Paz sank in December 1987, killing more than 1,700 people. A series of air disasters occurred in 1987 whenPhilippine AirlinesPR 206 crashed into a mountain inBenguet with 50 passengers found dead on June 26.
From 1989 to 1993, a longEl Niño phenomenon caused a severedrought in the country. Droughts destroyed crops in farmlands and livestock, which led to a nationwidefood shortage, dwindling water supplies, awater shortage, and electric blackouts that left damage to the national economy worth billions of pesos. In response to the drought, Aquino declared the Philippines under a nationwide state of calamity.
During Aquino's presidency,Metro Manila experienced seven to 12 hours power outages associated with El Niño. Numerous businesses were brought to a halt. By the departure of Aquino in June 1992, businesses in Manila and nearby provinces had lost nearly $800 million since March 1992.[37] According to David Sanger of theNew Straits Times, the Aquino administration knew for years that country's power plants were failing, but did not act to solve the problem.[38] It was only during the time of her successor,Fidel Ramos, that the government decisively solved the severe power outages that were common during her tenure.
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As the end of her presidency drew near, close advisers and friends told Aquino that since she was not inaugurated under the 1987 Constitution, she was still eligible to seek the presidency again in the upcoming1992 elections, the first presidential elections under normal and peaceful circumstances since 1965. Aquino strongly declined the requests for her to seek reelection and wanted to set an example to both citizens and politicians that the presidency is not a lifetime position.
Initially, she namedRamon V. Mitra, a friend of her husbandNinoy and then Speaker of thePhilippine House of Representatives, as her candidate for the presidential race in 1992. She instead threw her support behind the candidacy of her defense secretary and EDSA Revolution hero, GeneralFidel V. Ramos, who constantly stood by and defended her government from the various coup attempts and rebellions that were launched against her. Her sudden change of mind and withdrawal of support from Mitra drew criticisms not only from her supporters in theliberal andsocial democratic sectors but from theRoman Catholic Church, as well, which questioned her anointing of Ramos since the latter was aProtestant. Nevertheless, Aquino's candidate eventually won the 1992 elections, albeit by a margin of 23.58 percent of the total votes only, and was sworn in as the 12th President of the Philippines on June 30, 1992.
In contrast with previous inaugurations, Aquino attended the swearing-in of her successor at theQuirino Grandstand in Manila. As a final gesture as president, she rode the presidential limousine to the event and later left the venue aboard a Toyota sedan, a gift from her siblings, which was a strong symbol of her return to private life as "Citizen Cory".
| Date | Rating |
|---|---|
| May 1986 | +53 |
| Oct 1986 | +72 |
| Mar 1987 | +69 |
| Oct 1987 | +36 |
| Feb 1988 | +64 |
| Aug 1988 | +57 |
| Sep 1988 | +50 |
| Feb 1989 | +37 |
| Aug 1989 | +32 |
| Sep 1989 | +29 |
| Mar 1990 | +24 |
| Apr 1990 | +37 |
| Nov 1990 | +7 |
| Apr 1991 | +24 |
| Jul 1991 | +10 |
| Nov 1991 | +10 |
| Feb 1992 | +13 |
| Apr 1992 | +7 |
| Average | +35 |
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| Presidency |   | |
| Elections | ||
| Family |
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| Life and legacy | ||
| Related |
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| First Republic (1899–1901) | |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth (1935–1946) |
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| Second Republic (1943–1945) | |
| Third Republic (1946–1973) |
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| Martial law era (1973–1981) | |
| Fourth Republic (1981–1986) |
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| Fifth Republic (1986–present) | |
