The Housewife Who Changed the World

Corazon Aquino changed the world in ways that people of far greater power and military might have rarely been able to do.

She was a spiritually rich and devoted wife of Philippine politician Benigno Aquino. She was, by her own admission, a housewife and mother when her husband was imprisoned by President Ferdinand Marcos, and then exiled to the United States. Upon his return to Manila in August, 1983, he was assassinated by military men.

By November 3, 1985, Marcos was feeling pressure from both the United States and the opposition movement to reform. Cory Aquino had become a symbolic opposition figure, leading marches and rallies in her trademark yellow dress. On ABC's This Week with David Brinkley, Marcos shocked the world by calling for the now famous "snap election" to demonstrate his popular mandate.

As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I held a series of hearings on governance in the Philippines and mechanics of elections held there. Dr. Allen Weinstein, who recently retired as the Archivist of the United States, assisted the Committee in this task. Marcos was a dictator but also an anti-communist U.S. ally. Two huge American bases in the Philippines were considered crucial to our military strategy in the Pacific.

President Reagan asked me and U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha (D., Pa.) to co-chair a U.S. Election Observer Group. It included several members of Congress, including Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Cong. Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), then a new member of the Senate and the Foreign Relations Committee, and now its Chairman.

We witnessed numerous abnormalities during the February 7, 1986 balloting, which was covered like a major American political event, with the then three network news anchors flying to Manila to report it. In the days after the election, we concluded that Marcos was refusing to release the final vote count because he knew he had lost. Independent vote counters showed us that Aquino had won. Cory's "People Power" movement then took to the streets and was supported by the military. Seventeen days later President Reagan persuaded Marcos to step down and fly to exile in Hawaii. This manifestation of the Reagan Doctrine -- to promote democracy and oppose authoritarian regimes of the right as well as communist totalitarianism -- became a critical turning point of American foreign policy.

Corazon C. Aquino, the simple housewife, replaced the long-time strongman as president. Despite several coup attempts, she was domestically successful in changing the constitution, restoring the institutions of government, re-establishing democratic processes, and finally transferring power -- by a free and fair election -- to a successor.

More importantly, Corazon Aquino's concept of peaceful revolution swept across Asia, Latin America and even to the Soviet Bloc where the Berlin Wall would fall in 1989. Her inspirational story would make her the patron of people power and democratic reforms. Also in 1986, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed legislation placing targeted sanctions on the apartheid government of South Africa. Congress overrode President Reagan's veto of this legislation. In due course, Nelson Mandela was freed from jail and later became President.

A few months after the Philippine elections, former Senator J. William Fulbright invited me to speak at the Fulbright Institute at the University of Arkansas on the 40th anniversary of the Fulbright Exchange program.

Inspired by what I had witnessed in the Philippines and what was happening elsewhere, I said, "Democracy is the strongest suit for American foreign policy. Democracies believe in human rights we hold dear. They do not threaten our security interests, and they are good trading partners.

"But democracy is not easy," I continued. "Too often in the past the United States naively called for democracy in developing countries that had no institutions to support it. Petty despots often won out. Democracy requires institutions that make it work -- universities, a free press, labor unions, business groups and careful election procedures. The United States should not dictate to other countries how they should govern themselves. That would be the arrogance of power. But we do have a stake in the protection and promotion of democracy in the world. When there are struggles for democracy, the United States must find thoughtful and effective ways to act. That is the purpose of American power."

The Corazon Aquino story was one the biggest of the 1980s. History will record that her "yellow revolution" inspired a remarkable era of political transformation by ballot rather than bullet. Her life reminds us that one remarkable person of modest demeanor can generate peaceful change across the Earth. And her story is a lesson that when Americans act according to our principles, we will be on the right side of history.

Dick Lugar is ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Comments

[FoonTheElder]

Great story but the reality is something else.

Cory Aquino was basically the treasurer for the family fortune. The Aquino/Marcos feud was basically two of the wealthiest families in the Philippines fighting for political and economic domination.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/aug2009/cory-a05.shtml

[jubei]

Doesn't agree with his policies but iam a big fan of Sen.Dick Lugar and Ex- Sen.Chuck Hagel and much respect to Lugar for voting for Sotomayer and thank you and Chuck Hagel for being mentors for Pres.Obama,I hope Obama puts Hagel in his cabinet!

[Shawn Phetteplace]

Wait a minute--labor unions?

Um, Senator Lugar? Don't you have a 0% voting record on labor issues in the United States?

Hypocrite.

[FT882003]

Senator,
We appreciate your stress on the power of democracy. Indeed, you are a stellar example, having won so many elections. But democracy also comes with it a responsibility to report back to the public about actions undertaken. I refer to the letter you authored and sent to the GAO, the investigative arm of the US Congress, in which you called for a study of the World Bank.
http://citizenoversight.com/pdf/blwb.pdf
Your letter was sent over a year ago. But not only has the GAO apparently ignored your letter because no study has started even now, but also you have not released the reply from the GAO to your letter. Why not release it in the interest of transparency and accountability -- and might I say, Democracy. Why not let the public know what happened?

[FT882003]

Senator,
We appreciate your stress on the power of democracy. Indeed, you are are stellar example, having won so many elections. But democracy also comes with it a responsibility to report back to the public about actions undertaken. I refer to the letter you authored and sent to the GAO, the investigative arm of the US Congress, in which you called for a study of the World Bank.
http://citizenoversight.com/pdf/blwb.pdf
Your letter was sent over a year ago. But not only has the GAO apparently ignored your letter because no study has started even now, but also you have not released the reply from the GAO to your letter. Why not release it in the interest of transparency and accountability -- and might I say, Democracy. Why not let the public know what happened?

[LMPE]

If the US hadn't occupied the Philippines 100 years ago, Marcos would have never come to power to begin with.

[jqcitizen]

Senator Lugar

Democracy is, indeed, a wonderful experience. However, we should not forget that Marcos, Pinochet, Noriega and even Saddam, were once considered to be the 'Fair Haired Boys' of what Congress and the Administrations, at the time, claimed to be a success of democracy.

Guns, bombs and war never promote peace. Cory, a regular person, tried and for a brief time succeeded.

There are other Cory's in this world. Too bad they can't be heard.

[Kenji]

The Housewife WHO Changed the World

[FogBelter]

Senator, I appreciate your insights. Few world events make me as emotional, and hopeful, as when I think of Cory Aquino and People Power. President Marcos found himself on the wrong side of History in 1986, and erred in underestimating the Filipino people. People Power was a triumph of the possible, and illustrated what inspired people, against all odds, are able to accomplish. I doubt even Ninoy could have moved the Filipino People the way Cory did. Her situation was so tragically accidental, and her literal rise from housewife to leader of a movement to unseat an entrenched dictator was nothing short of miraculous from the perspective of a spiritual people, like the Filipinos.

I am sure, Senator, that as much as you have shared with us there is more that you know. I own one of the Marcos-Reagan silver 50 Piso coins that Marcos had struck in 1982 in honor of his relationship with Reagan, I visited the "Palace in the Sky" in Tagaytay in the Philippines that Marcos was building for Reagan as a Pacific White House. You know, better than anyone else the struggle within the Reagan Administration over Marcos' fate ... but when the Pope told Cardinal Sin to " do what is best for your people" and the Church joined the Movement, and when Marcos' troops refused to fire upon the Filipino People ... History recorded for posterity the power of a Filipina Housewife in a bright yellow dress.

[BachelorJohnnyCool]

Corazon Aquino was an amazing and exceptionally courageous woman who deserves a great deal of credit. However, she was not just a plucky average housewife who rose from humble origins to become president of the Philippines. She was a member of the Cojuanco family, which has long been one of the wealthiest and most powerful families in the country. That's not to disparage her or her admirable accomplishments in any way, but there's no way she would have become president if her family and her murdered husband's family hadn't been part of the Philippines oligarchy no matter how "spiritually rich" she was. The idea that she was an ordinary housewife is an inspiring story, but unfortunately it's only a myth.

[FogBelter]

"The idea that she was an ordinary housewife is an inspiring story, but unfortunately it's only a myth."

I don't think Cory's family ties gave her undue advantage:

"Eduardo Murphy Cojuangco, Jr. (born June 10, 1935), also known as Danding Cojuangco, is the chairman of San Miguel Corporation, the largest food and beverage corporation in the Philippines and former governor of Tarlac.[1]

He was a candidate for the Philippine presidency in 1992, ultimately losing to Fidel V. Ramos. He tested the political waters in 2003, planning to run in the 2004 Presidential and Local Elections, but soon withdrew. He was a close advisor and personal friend to former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, which led him to become estranged from his cousin, Corazon Aquino, who after Marcos' ouster succeeded him as president. Cojuangco is of partial Irish, Spanish, and Chinese descent.

Cojuangco was a member of the Rolex 12, a group of 12 men who were closest to Marcos and allegedly were his enforcers of Martial Law. Cojuangco also was accused by the military men at the scene of Benigno Aquino, Jr.'s assassination, as the leader who orchestrated the crime."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danding_Cojuangco

[thoughtful3]

Sen. Lugar,
I completely disagree with your republican economic and social philosophy. However, you are one of the few republicans left that I can at least respect. By the way, thank you for voting for Sonia Sotomayor, and thank you for believing in a sane foreign policy (as President Obama does).

[jemiltd]

Senator,
As an Indiana resident and one of your constituents, I too am glad to see that you voted for Judge Sotomayor. Now to the issue of the health care reform and all other issues pertinent to the rest of us on Main Street: Please continue to be a leader in the Senate and help your fellow Party members either put a reasonable alternative on the table for health care reform or at least reasonable modifications of the existing health care plan that President Obama has put forth. No one wins if there is politically oriented thuggery displayed at open forums where people are trying to get real information. I do not want to impede anyone's right to free speech, don't impede my right to gain information.

[JeZeus]

"This manifestation of the Reagan Doctrine -- to promote democracy and oppose authoritarian regimes of the right as well as communist totalitarianism -- became a critical turning point of American foreign policy."

Except of course for Reagan's support of Saddam Husein with all those supplies to make chemical weapons that Reagan allowed to be shipped to Iraq so they could gas Iranians during the Iran/Iraq war.

[Gunga-Din]

Changed the world?

[Benmyoho]

Thank you, Senator Lugar for the excellent piece on our beloved leader, President Corazon Aquino. And I know that you have been a champion of the of the Filipino people in the restoration of democracy there--which is sadly in peril again, with the wicked machinations of Gloria Arroyo and her cabal. Good if the lady has an iota of the greatness that President Aquino possessed, but, heavens, she is called Marcos Lite, and is rotten to the core. Which makes me think that the Republicans walk the talk, when it comes to protecting democracy; whereas the Democrats just pay lip service. Or pray tell why President Obama of late received Gloria 'Marcos Lite" Arroyo in the White House? I hope to lecture her on preserving term limits instituting good governance.

[Rog49Thomas]

The People Power Revolution was made by the A and B classes in the Phlippines (the most privileged). The broad masses in the Phlippines were not involved as they have to spend most of their time trying to keep the kleptocracy's hands out of their meager pockets and struggling to put food on their families.

Also the critical factor in the success of both the anti Marco and anti Erap movements was the support of the Army. Without it, neither would have succeeded. Fidel Ramos was the key individual in the first.

BTW the major achievement of both of the two movements was the replacement of one gang of crooks with another.

The exploitation of the C, D, and E classes sadly continues.