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 The Cory Aquino Leadership: Perspectives from the Social Sciences

 Third World Studies Center

Abstract

Is there anything left for the social scientists to eplain! What part of Cora"on

#Cory$ Aquino have %e not understood amidst the very public outpouring of grief

and deep gratitude during her passing last August! The &niversity of the Philippines

'&P( Third World Studies Center 'TWSC() together %ith the *+ce of the &P ,iliman

Chancellor) the &P ,epartment of Political Science) and the Philippine Political

Science Association organi"ed this event to respond precisely to these concerns)

%hich are borne out of cynicism and our haste to get over the

former president-s death. The organi"ers believe that Cory Aquino-s life as a leader)

her eperiences) and the decisions she made that still strongly inform our societytoday %ere all dra%n from a %ide range and sometimes con/icting mi of personal

convictions and political positions. Thus) to interpret her life in the same %ay %e

attempt to comprehend the nation-s sorro% over her death) there is a need for the

di0erent disciplines of the social sciences to come together and share their

understanding of her life and legacy. 1qually important is the opportunity that this

forum provides to the current generation of students %hose idea of her role in the

nation-s history is only a faint approimation of %hat their elders have lived through.

 The forum challenges us to go beyond the narro% sentimentality of grief2that it be

an occasion not only for old %ar stories but also for ne% inquiries about a past and a

leader %hom %e have considered so deserving of our sacri3ce) too %orthy of our

tears.

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Cory Aquino) Who Led 4evolt in 5anila) ,ies at 67

8Plain 9ouse%ife8 9eaded 5ovement to *ust 5arcos) 4ebuilt ,emocratic Institutions

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Linames 9oo

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upheavals from 1astern 1urope and Tai%an in the late ?Hs to South orea and

South America.

 The Philippines8 uprising began in ?HE) %hen 5rs. Aquino8s husband) opposition

leader Sen. =enigno Aquino >r.) shrugged o0 death threats and returned from eilein =oston to Join a gro%ing movement against 5r. 5arcos) under %hom the country

had fallen into a quagmire of corruption and poverty.

5r. Aquino died in a hail of bullets as soon as he stepped o0 his plane in 5anila8s

international airport) in circumstances that have never been fully eplained. T%o

million people escorted his body to the cemetery %here he %as buried) in a startling

sho% of popular resentment. 5ourners continued to sho% their support for 5r.

Aquino and the opposition8s cause by tying yello% ribbons on anything they could

3nd.

Looournal articles on Cora"on Aquino8s rise to po%er in the ?Hs:

  Aquino8s Wido%) Political Kovice) 4allies the Philippine *pposition ',ec. ) ?HB(

  Coup Attempt) Labor Leader8s 5urder Test Aquino8s Conciliatory Leadership 'Kov.

?6) ?H7(

  Philippine Mote Signals Shift in Po%er To Senate ;rom StillPopular Aquino '5ay ?H)?H6(

 The s%elling opposition movement still needed a uniting 3gure to push for lasting

political change. That person %as the unassuming 5rs. Aquino) a %ido%ed mother

of 3ve. As local and international pressure on 5r. 5arcos gre%) he called elections in

;ebruary ?H7) pitting himself against 5rs. Aquino) %ho too< to %earing yello%

dresses on her campaign stops.

=oth 5r. 5arcos and 5rs. Aquino claimed to %in the vote) %hich %as follo%ed by%idespread allegations of fraud) prompting some military leaders to revolt against

the dictator. A stando0 in 5anila follo%ed) as more than one million ;ilipinos)

including 5rs. Aquino) too< to the streets to protect the rebels from pro5arcos

forces. As defections %ithin the armed forces accelerated) 5r. 5arcos /ed the

country. 5rs. Aquino %as s%orn in as president on ;eb. @B.

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In later years) the Dyello%ribbonD movement gave %ay to other colorcoded revolts)

including the 4ose 4evolution in Georgia) the *range 4evolution in &

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DWhenever the idea %as mentioned in her presence) Cory %ould simply loo< out of

the %indo% to the right of her des