Corazon Aquino

Filipino aristocracy, from a wealthy family background. She was educated in convent schools and she became the devoted wife of an ambitious journalist and aspiring politician. A homemaker, she enjoyed cooking pasta, playing games with her children and cultivating her garden. Devout, modest, shy and conservative, she has remarked that her happiest times were the three years of exile in Newton, Massachusetts where she lived a simple life outside of the political eye.

At the Far Eastern University in 1953, Corazon began dating Benigno Aquino, a wealthy and promising young man. She dropped out of her legal studies after one semester and they married on 11 October 1954, five kids. For the better part of three decades, she lived contentedly in the shadow of her husband.

By the early '70s, Aquino seemed a sure bet for the presidency, succeeding Marcos whose final term was ready to expire in 1973. Marcos had different ideas. In 1972 he declared martial law. His first political prisoner was Ninoy Acqino, who remained in prison for more than seven years.

Adversity forced Cory out of the house and into worldly matters. She had to get involved in the family sugar business and take over political obligations, becoming her husband's ambassador at large. Their conjugal visits at his prison were nerve-racking. She would carry a large towel and tape to cover the closed circuit TV camera and they whispered because of electronic listening devices.

In 1980, Aquino was permitted to go to Boston for heart surgery. For the next three years he had a research fellowship at Harvard. When he returned home on 21 August 1983, he was shot in the head as he left the aircraft. Cory pledged to continue his work.

In November 1986, Cory found herself under tremendous pressure to run against Marcos, and with popular support broke the dictatorship to became President. At first her inexperience showed in naive statements and uninspired public speaking.