Former President Benigno ‘Noynoy’ Aquino III passes away at 61

Former president Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III died on Thursday at the age of 61, just 5 years after finishing his term as president of the Philippines.

The former president’s death comes as he had been reportedly battling various illnesses since 2019. Aquino had also been undergoing dialysis for at least five months prior to his death, and had recently undergone a heart operation.

The former president, more known to the public as either “Noynoy” or “Pnoy,” had served as the country’s 15th president from 2010 to 2016, which he won following the death of his mother and former President Corazon Aquino in 2009 after a long battle with Colon cancer.

Noynoy had a long, successful career in politics prior to being elected for the country’s top post. He served as a senator for six years and a congressman representing Tarlac 1998 to 2007.

Aquino is first president to deliver his State of the Nation Address in Filipino, the first president to appoint a female chief justice, he also holds the record for having the most vetoed bills during his presidency with a total of 80 bills vetoed. He is also tied with former president Joseph Estrada for the least number of appointees by the time he stepped down, having only appointed 6 justices for the whole duration of their presidency.

It was also under the Aquino administration when the Philippines brought China to court as the small archipelagic nation brought China to the arbitral tribunal in the Hague over its vast claims in the West Philippine Sea, where Manila won. The victory against Beijing was announced in July 2016 after President Rodrigo Duterte had assumed power. (GFB)