BENIGNO SIMEON AQUINO JR.
A Memory that Lives Forever
PERSONAL
Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr. is know as a Filipino Hero and Martyr
Born on November 27, 1932
Birthplace is Concepcion , Tarlac, Philippines
Parents are Benigno S. Aquino, Sr. (Nationalist Speaker, Philippine Senator) and Aurora A. Aquino
Paternal grandfather is General Servillano Aquino, famed revolutionary who first fought the Spaniard and then the Americans at the turn of the century.
His brothers and sisters include: Mila Aquino Albert, Linda Aquino Martinez, Maur Aquino Lichauco, Ditas Aquino Valdez, Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara, Agapito (Butz) Aquino, Paul Aquino, Tessie Aquino Oreta.
He married Corazon Cojuanco on October 11, 1954
Ninoy and Cory have five, children, they are: Maria Elena (Ballsy) who became the wife of Eldon Cruz, Aurora Corazon (Pinky) who is married to Manuel Abellada, Benigno III (Nonoy),Victoria Elisa (Viel) who is married to Richard Joseph Dee and Kristina Bernadette (Kris) who is married to James Yap.
Benigno Simeon Aquino, Jr. is know as a Filipino Hero and Martyr
Born on November 27, 1932
Birthplace is Concepcion , Tarlac, Philippines
Parents are Benigno S. Aquino, Sr. (Nationalist Speaker, Philippine Senator) and Aurora A. Aquino
Paternal grandfather is General Servillano Aquino, famed revolutionary who first fought the Spaniard and then the Americans at the turn of the century.His brothers and sisters include: Mila Aquino Albert, Linda Aquino Martinez, Maur Aquino Lichauco, Ditas Aquino Valdez, Lupita Aquino Kashiwahara, Agapito (Butz) Aquino, Paul Aquino, Tessie Aquino Oreta.
He married Corazon Cojuanco on October 11, 1954
Ninoy and Cory have five, children, they are: Maria Elena (Ballsy) who became the wife of Eldon Cruz, Aurora Corazon (Pinky) who is married to Manuel Abellada, Benigno III (Nonoy),Victoria Elisa (Viel) who is married to Richard Joseph Dee and Kristina Bernadette (Kris) who is married to James Yap.
EDUCATION
San Beda High School, 1948Ateneo de Manila University
College of Liberal Arts (Pre-law), 1950
University of the Philippines
College of Law (4th Year)
Harvard University
Center for International Law – Fellow
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Center for International Studies – Fellow
EARLY JOURNALISM YEARS
1950
Manila Times Newspaper Reported (at age 17) Manila Times War correspondent in Korea.
1952
Manila Times Foreign Correspondent in Southeast Asia (assigned to Indo-China, covered the last moment of French colonialism in Asia, at Dien Bien Phu. He was later posted to Malaya to cover the British counter-insurgency efforts under General Templar.
(Journalism remained his particular vocation in spite of his entry into politics and from time to time he wrote “perspective articles” for such publications as “Foreign Affairs Quarterly” and the “Pacific Community”.)
1952
He agreed (while already a Senator and in the name of Journalism) to conduct a weekly television news analysis, entitled “Insight” for Channel 5, upon the urging of his former publisher of the Manila Times, Mr. Chino Roces. He kept this up until his arrest in 1972 by the people responsible for the Martial Law regime.
Manila Times Newspaper Reported (at age 17) Manila Times War correspondent in Korea.
1952
Manila Times Foreign Correspondent in Southeast Asia (assigned to Indo-China, covered the last moment of French colonialism in Asia, at Dien Bien Phu. He was later posted to Malaya to cover the British counter-insurgency efforts under General Templar.
(Journalism remained his particular vocation in spite of his entry into politics and from time to time he wrote “perspective articles” for such publications as “Foreign Affairs Quarterly” and the “Pacific Community”.)
1952
He agreed (while already a Senator and in the name of Journalism) to conduct a weekly television news analysis, entitled “Insight” for Channel 5, upon the urging of his former publisher of the Manila Times, Mr. Chino Roces. He kept this up until his arrest in 1972 by the people responsible for the Martial Law regime.
GOVERNMENT SERVICE
1954
Special Assistant to President Ramon Magsaysay. He negotiated the surrender of HUK Supremo Luis Tarux (May 16, 1954).
1955
Elected as youngest mayor of his hometown, Concepcion, Tarlac at the age of 22.
1956
Press Officer, Philippine-American Military Bases Agreement negotiations.
1957
Special Assistant to President Carlos P. Garcia.
1959
Elected as the youngest Vice-Governor of Tarlac Province at 26 years old. He was elected Secretary General of the League of Provincial Governors and City Mayors.
1961
Became Governor in 1961 after the Governor’s resignation.
1963
Elected Governor of Tarlac Province at age 31. He won in all 17 towns of the province, posting the highest majority ever garnered by a gubernatorial candidate in the province. He was dubbed as the “Wonder Boy of Philippine Politics.”
1964
Philippine Delegate, Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) Conference held in Korea.
1965
Special Assistant to President Diosdado Macapagal. He accompanied President Macapagal in State visits to Cambodia and Indonesia. Spokesperson of Philippine Delegation – Afro-Asian conference in Algiers, Africa.
1966
Project Director of Tarlac “Project Spread”. A joint understanding of the National Economic Council (Philippine Government) and the U.S.A.I.D., which was designed to increase rural income.
1967
Elected as the youngest Senator of the Philippines at 35 years old as the lone opposition (Liberal Party) candidate to survive the election sweep made by President Marcos Nacionalista Party. He was also elected as Secretary-General of the Liberal Party.
1968
Author of several speeches, and many articles while serving as a public servant. These are contained in the book “A Garrison State in the Make and other Speeches” by Senator Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. (BSAF Publication). Senator Aquilino also authored / co-authored several bills filed in approved congress to benefit the masses. He also authored several privilege speeches printed in the “Ninoy Aquino – Speech Series,” 1968 – 1970s.
1970
Resource person for the Philippines in the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London.
1971
Member of the Philippine Delegation of the Asian Conference on the Cambodian Question, Jakarta, Indonesia.
1972
Philippine Delegate to the International Conference on Japan and the Evolving world, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies of London, at Mount Fuji, Japan. He was also the July 4th guest speaker of Filipino communities in Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco U.S.A.
Special Assistant to President Ramon Magsaysay. He negotiated the surrender of HUK Supremo Luis Tarux (May 16, 1954).
1955
Elected as youngest mayor of his hometown, Concepcion, Tarlac at the age of 22.
1956
Press Officer, Philippine-American Military Bases Agreement negotiations.
1957
Special Assistant to President Carlos P. Garcia.
1959
Elected as the youngest Vice-Governor of Tarlac Province at 26 years old. He was elected Secretary General of the League of Provincial Governors and City Mayors.
1961
Became Governor in 1961 after the Governor’s resignation.
1963
Elected Governor of Tarlac Province at age 31. He won in all 17 towns of the province, posting the highest majority ever garnered by a gubernatorial candidate in the province. He was dubbed as the “Wonder Boy of Philippine Politics.”
1964
Philippine Delegate, Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA) Conference held in Korea.
1965
Special Assistant to President Diosdado Macapagal. He accompanied President Macapagal in State visits to Cambodia and Indonesia. Spokesperson of Philippine Delegation – Afro-Asian conference in Algiers, Africa.
1966
Project Director of Tarlac “Project Spread”. A joint understanding of the National Economic Council (Philippine Government) and the U.S.A.I.D., which was designed to increase rural income.
1967
Elected as the youngest Senator of the Philippines at 35 years old as the lone opposition (Liberal Party) candidate to survive the election sweep made by President Marcos Nacionalista Party. He was also elected as Secretary-General of the Liberal Party.
1968
Author of several speeches, and many articles while serving as a public servant. These are contained in the book “A Garrison State in the Make and other Speeches” by Senator Benigno “Ninoy” S. Aquino, Jr. (BSAF Publication). Senator Aquilino also authored / co-authored several bills filed in approved congress to benefit the masses. He also authored several privilege speeches printed in the “Ninoy Aquino – Speech Series,” 1968 – 1970s.
1970
Resource person for the Philippines in the International Institute of Strategic Studies, London.
1971
Member of the Philippine Delegation of the Asian Conference on the Cambodian Question, Jakarta, Indonesia.
1972
Philippine Delegate to the International Conference on Japan and the Evolving world, sponsored by the International Institute for Strategic Studies of London, at Mount Fuji, Japan. He was also the July 4th guest speaker of Filipino communities in Honolulu, Los Angeles and San Francisco U.S.A.
MAJOR AWARDS
1950
Philippine Legion of Honor, Officer Degree, awarded by President Elpidio Quirino for “Meritorious Service” to the Philippines for his coverage of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to the Korean War.
1954
Philippine Legion of Honor, Commander degree, awarded by President Ramon Magsaysay for “exemplary meritorious service” to the Filipino people negotiating the coverage of HUK Supremo Luis Tarux.
1957
First Bronze Anahaw Leaf, Philippine Legion of Honor, conferred by President Ramon Magsaysay, for services in the peace and order compaign.
1960
Voted one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in the field of public service.
1968-1971
Outstanding Senator, voted yearly by the Philippine Free Press, the Philippine leading political weekly magazine.
1971
Man of the Year, voted by the Philippine Free Press, citing him for the leadership he showed when his party’s leadership was bombed in Plaza Miranda, the Philippines’ equivalent to Hyde Park. He led his party’s campaign “with courage, with distinction” despite threats to arrest him, made by then President Marcos. He led the Liberal Party to a 6-2 victory in the Philippine Senate elections, which catapulted him to become the No. 1 presidential contender in the 1973 elections.
Philippine Legion of Honor, Officer Degree, awarded by President Elpidio Quirino for “Meritorious Service” to the Philippines for his coverage of the Philippine Expeditionary Force to the Korean War.
1954
Philippine Legion of Honor, Commander degree, awarded by President Ramon Magsaysay for “exemplary meritorious service” to the Filipino people negotiating the coverage of HUK Supremo Luis Tarux.
1957
First Bronze Anahaw Leaf, Philippine Legion of Honor, conferred by President Ramon Magsaysay, for services in the peace and order compaign.
1960
Voted one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) in the field of public service.
1968-1971
Outstanding Senator, voted yearly by the Philippine Free Press, the Philippine leading political weekly magazine.
1971
Man of the Year, voted by the Philippine Free Press, citing him for the leadership he showed when his party’s leadership was bombed in Plaza Miranda, the Philippines’ equivalent to Hyde Park. He led his party’s campaign “with courage, with distinction” despite threats to arrest him, made by then President Marcos. He led the Liberal Party to a 6-2 victory in the Philippine Senate elections, which catapulted him to become the No. 1 presidential contender in the 1973 elections.
MARTIAL LAW YEARS
September 22, 1972
Ninoy was arrested, detained and imprisoned at FortBonifacio and in Laur, Nueva Ecija for 7 years and 7 months, mostly in solitary confinement.
April 4, 1975 – May 13, 1975
He went on a protest hunger strike while in prison.
May 8, 1980
Released from FortBonifacio to undergo a triple heart bypass at BaylorMedicalCenter, Dallas, Texas, USA.
May 13, 1980
Operated and successfully given a triple bypass in Dallas, Texas.
1980-1982
Fellow at HarvardUniversity’s Center for International Affairs.
1982-1983
Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for International Studies.
August 21, 1983
Assassinated at the airport seconds after disembarking in China Airlines jet from Taipei.
August 31, 1983
Ninoy’s funeral march from Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City to ManilaMemorial Park, Paranaque, was the “longest funeral march in world’s history.” Around two million people joined the funeral.
Ninoy was arrested, detained and imprisoned at FortBonifacio and in Laur, Nueva Ecija for 7 years and 7 months, mostly in solitary confinement.
April 4, 1975 – May 13, 1975
He went on a protest hunger strike while in prison.
May 8, 1980
Released from FortBonifacio to undergo a triple heart bypass at BaylorMedicalCenter, Dallas, Texas, USA.
May 13, 1980
Operated and successfully given a triple bypass in Dallas, Texas.
1980-1982
Fellow at HarvardUniversity’s Center for International Affairs.
1982-1983
Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for International Studies.
August 21, 1983
Assassinated at the airport seconds after disembarking in China Airlines jet from Taipei.
August 31, 1983
Ninoy’s funeral march from Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City to ManilaMemorial Park, Paranaque, was the “longest funeral march in world’s history.” Around two million people joined the funeral.
