Benigno Aquino III |
Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III (born February 8, 1960, age 52 years) was elected President of the Philippines, which won the 2010 Philippine presidential election with 15,208,678 valid votes. Political party is the Liberal Party of the Philippines. He is a member of the Philippine Senate. He is also a son of the former only Philippine President Corazon Aquino and former Philippine Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr..
Early life and education
Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III was born on February 8, 1960 in Manila. He is the third of five children of Benigno Aquino, Jr., who was then Deputy Governor of the province of Tarlac, and Corazon Cojuangco-Aquino. He has four sisters, Maria Elena (Ballsy) Aquino-Cruz, Aurora Corazon (Pinky) Aquino-Abellada, Victoria Elisa (Viel) Aquino-Dee, and Kristina Bernadette (Kris) Aquino. He attended the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City for the elementary school, high, and higher education.
He graduated in 1981 with a Bachelor in Economics. He is one of the students of the former economics professor at the Ateneo de Manila University, former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
In September 1972, Aquino's father, who was a senator and a leading opposition leader to President Ferdinand Marcos, was arrested for subversion. In August 1973, Aquino's father was taken to a military court in Fort Bonifacio. On August 25, 1973, Aquino's father wrote to his son from Fort Bonifacio, giving advice to his son.;
"The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience.
There is no greater nation on earth of the country. No larger than our own people. Serve them with all your heart, with all your strength and with all thy might.
Children, the ball is now in your hands.
In 1980, after a series of heart attacks, allowed Aquino's father to seek medical treatment in the United States, where the Aquino family began a period of seclusion. In 1981, shortly after graduating, joined the Aquino family in the United States.
In 1983, after three years in exile in the United States, the Aquino family returned to the Philippines, shortly after the assassination of his father on August 21, 1983. He had a brief tenure as a member of the Philippine Business Social Progress, working as an assistant executive director of PBSP. He then joined the Mondragon Industries Philippines, Inc. as a Sales Supervisor Retail assistant and assistant campaign manager for Nike Philippines, Inc..
From 1986 to 1992, during her presidency, Aquino joined the Intra-Strata Assurance Corporation, a company owned by his uncle Antolin Oreta, Jr., as vice president.
On August 28, 1987, eighteen months into President Aquino's mother, a rebel army led by Gregorio Honasan launched a failed coup attempt, trying to siege of Malacanang Palace. Aquino two blocks from the palace when he came under fire. Three of the four security guards were killed Aquino, and the last one was injured protecting him. He was himself hit by five bullets, one of which is still embedded in his neck
From 1993 to 1998, he worked for the Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the sugar refinery in charge of the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita, as an executive assistant for administration from 1993 to 1996, then he worked as a field service manager 1996-1998.