BENIGNO AQUINO III

President Noynoy Aquino in 2015

In June 2010, after elections in May, the Congress of the Philippines proclaimed Benigno “Noynoy” Acquino III as the President Elect of the Philippines. In his inaugural address on June 30, 2010, he told the Filipino people: “We are here to serve and not to lord over you. The mandate given to me was one of change. I accept your marching orders to transform our government from one that is self-serving to one that works for the welfare of the nation. My hope is that when I leave office, everyone can say that we have traveled far on the right path, and that we are able to bequeath a better future to the next generation. Join me in continuing this fight for change.”

Noynoy Aquino (1960 – 2021)—the only son of democracy icons Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino and President Corazon Aquino— enjoyed relatively high approval ratings as he pledged s to go beyond the usual half-hearted attempts and make a real effort to stamp out corruption and took a relatively hard line against China for its activities in waters claimed by the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The relatively inexperienced Aquino benefited from his mother's popularity and his own clean image. May 2013, congressional elections gave Aquino's supporters control of both houses. David Pilling wrote in the Financial Times, “As far as political honeymoons go, Mr Aquino’s was pretty long. When he was elected as a self-confessed “reluctant president”, few Filipinos expected a great deal of a man whose main qualification to lead his country of 97 million people was his illustrious family name. Commonly known as “Noynoy”, he raised expectations by waging war on corruption and presiding over an impressive economic resurgence that, against all odds, has made the Philippines a favourite of emerging market investors.” But by 2013, after three years in office, in the middle of his term, “the shine had begun to wear off Mr Aquino’s squeaky clean image. Public officials became engulfed in a scandal involving some $200 million in “pork barrel” funds, and Mr Aquino was widely accused of targeting only opposition politicians in the widening investigation.” [Source: David Pilling, Financial Times, November 14, 2013]

According to the BBC: On paper, Aquino performed well — better, certainly, than his two predecessors. Foreign direct investment quadrupled, and the budget deficit has fallen. Spending increased on infrastructure, schools and rural development. Middle-class Filipinos who have good jobs or businesses feel better off. The problem is that President Aquino started with the Philippines far behind its neighbours, and the changes he has brought are incremental, rather than revolutionary. Had the constitution allowed it, he might have been able to turn his modest successes into a story alluring enough to win another term of office. But in a reaction against the monopolisation of power by Marcos in the 1970s and 80s, Mr Aquino's mother, Corazon — who led the movement that overthrew Marcos — also oversaw a new constitution which limited presidents to a single term. [Source: Jonathan Head, BBC, May 8, 2016]

Aquino died in 2021. Speculation about his health began in August 2019 when he missed a memorial event for his father. Later it was revealed that he was suffering from kidney problems, hypertension, and diabetes. In the early hours of June 24, 2021, Aquino was found unconscious at his home in Quezon City and was rushed to Capitol Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at age 61. The cause of death was renal disease secondary to diabetes. Reports indicated that he had declined scheduled dialysis treatments shortly before his death because he felt too weak. He had also undergone angioplasty and was preparing for a possible kidney transplant at the time of his passing. [Source: Wikipedia]

Benigno Aquino III’s Early Life

President Aquino was born on Feb. 8 1960. His father was assassinated while opposing a dictatorship and his late mother led the "people power" revolt against Ferdinand Marcos. He has four sisters — Maria Elena ("Ballsy"), Aurora Corazon ("Pinky"), Victoria Elisa ("Viel"), and Kristina Bernadette ("Kris") — and studied from elementary to college in the Ateneo de Manila University, and finished a degree in Economics in 1981. Aquino’s classmates remember him as a “quiet” yet “friendly” student. Gene Manalastas, a batch mate in grade school, said: “He could not go to parties with us on weekends because he was always visiting his dad in prison.” [Source: Office of the President of the Philippines]

Aquino family when Noynoy was a boy

His father, then a senator and opposition leader to President Ferdinand Marcos, was incarcerated after the declaration of Martial Law in September 1972. In confinement, the senator wrote his son a letter, asking him to continue the family legacy of working for the good the every Filipino: “The only advice I can give you: Live with honor and follow your conscience. There is no greater nation on earth than our Motherland. No greater people than our own. Serve them with all your heart, with all your might and with all your strength. Son, the ball is now in your hands.”

In 1980, his father was allowed after a series of heart attacks to receive medical treatment in the United States. Aquino joined the family in a period of self-exile until 1983—when they had to return to the Philippines after the assassination of his father. Following his return to the Philippines, Aquino served as assistant of the Executive Director of the Philippine Business of Social Progress, an institution that coordinates the efforts of private companies to help struggling Filipinos. He was also Assistant Retail Sales Supervisor of Mondragon Philippines, and was the Assistant Promotions Manager of Nike Philippines. Aquino continued to work in the private sector even during the presidency of his mother. He was the Vice President of the Intra-Strata Assurance Corporation all through her term.

The BBC reported: “Growing up in the shadow of such admired parents, with four sisters - one of whom, Kris, is a prominent TV personality - Noynoy, himself a bachelor, has often been the quiet Aquino. He earned a degree in economics from the elite Ateneo university in Manila before joining his family in exile in Boston. On his return to the Philippines after 1983, he worked in various businesses, including the Cojuangco sugar refinery in his home Tarlac province. [Source: BBC, June 29, 2010]

In August 28, 1987, Aquino was wounded by five bullets when rebel soldiers assaulted Malacanang Palace in an unsuccessful coup attempt. One of the bullets remains embedded in Aquino’s neck.

Benigno Aquino III’s Personal Life and Character

Benigno Aquino III is unmarried and has no children. According to the Washington Post, “He's a low-key personality who shoots pool, enjoys jazz and had never seen himself as a national savior.” He has lived most of his life in his mother's modest house on the edge of Manila. [Source: Blaine Harden, Washington Post, May 7, 2010]

By his own account, according to the Washington Post, he has been unlucky in love. "All the plans I have had with respect to that field have not materialized," Aquino told the Post. With an impish smile, he added that his romantic disappointments have a political upside: "You don't have the attendant problems of a first lady like Imelda Marcos."

Aquino campaigning with his mother, Corazon, during the 1986 presidential elections

Blaine Harden wrote in Washington Post in 2010: “At 50, Aquino is not a dynamic maker of speeches, nor is he possessed of an impressive résumé. He ran a company that sold Nike shoes. He worked at his family's 11,000-acre ranch. He helped his mother cope with several coup attempts and was badly wounded during an attack on the presidential palace. (He still has a piece of shrapnel in his neck and a gunshot wound causes him to walk with a slight limp.) As a lawmaker since 1998, he has had no major legislative achievements.

“While his record is regarded as thin, it is also apparently clean. Unlike so many politicians here, he has not been linked to scandal. His honest image — combined with his mother's legacy of personal probity — has become the essence of his campaign. "Without corrupt politicians, there are no poor people," says his ubiquitous campaign slogan. “ Before the 2010 election. it appeared “that a plurality of Filipino voters decided to trust Aquino. "They know his achievements are not inspiring," said Arsenio Balisacan, a professor of economics at the University of the Philippines. "But they are tired of corruption. They are willing to take a gamble." /

Aquino’s critics have sought to portray him as an uncharismatic leader who had accomplished little in his political career. Her has admitted to not having presidential ambitions until his mother died of cancer in August 2009. Many have raised questions about his competence. "He has the genius of the below-average, looking and sounding like someone who does not know how to govern a country," said Homobono A. Adaza, a lawyer who worked for Aquino's mother before she prosecuted him on charges of involvement in a coup attempt.

"He doesn't have a clue," said Victor A. Abola, an economist at the University of Asia and the Pacific. "We may have a replay of the failures of his mother's government." Although Cory Aquino's honesty was never doubted, her leadership was often feckless, bouncing from crisis to crisis and remembered by many for chronic electricity blackouts. Her signature issue was land reform, but her family resisted — and some of them continue to resist — state efforts to distribute the family estate to 10,000 farmers.”

Benigno Aquino III Political Career

In 1998, Aquino entered public service. He served as Representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac from 1998 to 2007. He was elected to Congress in 1998, winning re-election in 2001 and 2004. In June 2007 he won a seat in the Senate. He is said to lack charisma, and did little to stand out in 12 years as a member of Congress and the Senate. But he did serve on a wide range of committees and so is familiar with the issues of governance. “I will be there because of the people and I will stay there because of the people and hopefully, I will be true to my word to serve the people,” Aquino’s said after announcing his candidacy for president. [Source: BBC, Office of the President of the Philippines]

Aquino with US President Barack Obama in 2014

As the Representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac, and legislator in the House of Representatives, he worked to pass a number of bills and resolutions to uphold public accountability and address the people’s pressing concerns. These include: House Bill No. 4251, which grants annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector; House Bill No. 4397, which strengthens the regulatory power of the Department of Trade and Industry to effectively enforce consumer laws; and House Resolution No. 788, which creates a Congressional Oversight Committee to check and study the use of intelligence funds by government agencies. Aquino served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He, however, relinquished the post after calling for the resignation of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo when the Hello Garci Scandal was exposed.

In the Senate, Aquino worked to make sure that accountability processes in the government were at work. He spent long hours examining the General Appropriations Act of 2009, and proposed key amendments to make sure that public funds were prudently spent. Aquino vigorously participated in Senate investigations on the abuses of government officials, and fought for justice for victims of human rights violations.

Aquino, then chairperson of the Senate Committee on Local Government, introduced substantial amendments to the Cooperative Code to make it more responsive to the needs of the people for which the code was enacted. Among his proposed measures were: Senate Bill 2035, which seeks to raise standards in the construction of all public infrastructures by penalizing contractors of defective infrastructures; and Senate Bill 2160, which seeks the amendment of Government Procurement Act. Although Aquino was elected president before these bills were passed into law, his efforts to make sure that government acts to bring about fairer outcomes for all Filipinos continue today.

Benigno Acquino III After His Mother’s Death

After Corazon Aquino died of cancer in August 2009, Blaine Harden wrote in the Washington Post, “His mother's death triggered a huge outpouring of emotion from the electorate, which resulted in Noynoy Aquino's sudden elevation from an unremarkable lawmaker to a presidential candidate who, in a recent poll, had won the "big trust" of seven out of 10 voters. [Source: Blaine Harden, Washington Post, April 22, 2010]

Immediately after her wake, people began to call on Aquino, urging him to run for presidency in the 2010 elections to continue his parents’ work. Signature drives and an outpouring of support through yellow ribbons and stickers went full blast, convincing him to run. Moreover, candidates for president such as Senator Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio, and Isabela Governor Grace Padaca gave up their presidential aspirations to support Aquino. [Source: Office of the President of the Philippines]

After a spiritual retreat at the Carmellite Monastery in Zamboanga City, Aquino responded to the call to make the people’s passion for change the driving force behind a new government. On September 9, 2009, the 40th day after former president Cory Aquino’s passing, he officially announced his candidacy for president at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan—where his mother took oath on the final day of the EDSA People Power Revolution. “I want to make democracy work not just for the rich and well connected but for everybody,” he said.

Jim Gomez of Associated Press wrote: “The quiet 50-year-old lawmaker and bachelor” was “spurred by the massive outpouring of national grief for the leader who helped oust longtime dictator Ferdinand Marcos in the 1986 "people power" revolt that restored democracy to the Philippines. She had inherited the mantle of her husband, Benigno Aquino Jr., an opposition senator gunned down by soldiers at Manila's airport in 1983 upon return from U.S. exile to challenge Marcos. Aquino's closest political lieutenant, former Education Secretary Florencio Abad, said he rode on the crest of a national yearning for an honest leader after corruption scandals under outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. [Source: Jim Gomez, Associated Press, May 11, 2010]

Blaine Harden wrote in Washington Post; Aquino readily acknowledges that his candidacy was an invention of voters nostalgic for the moral clarity they associate with his mother and father. "It became the entry point," he said. "All of this became possible because of the people....I wasn't thinking of running. I wasn't clamoring to be the person responsible for solving all the problems." [Source: Blaine Harden, Washington Post, May 7, 2010]

2010 Philippines Election

In the May 10, 2010national elections, about 85,000 candidates competed for 17,000 positions ranging from local council seats to the presidency. Political violence marred the campaign, leaving at least 80 people dead, including 57 victims in a single incident. As in past elections, many contests were dominated by long-established political families. Approximately 50 million registered voters out of a population of 90 million cast ballots, producing a turnout of around 75 percent despite significant delays caused by newly introduced voting machines. Among the high-profile candidates were former first lady Imelda Marcos and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao. Marcos and her daughter Imee Marcos led their respective races, while Pacquiao was ahead in Sarangani province. [Source: Jim Gomez, Associated Press, May 11, 2010; Blaine Harden, Washington Post, April 22, 2010; Associated Press, May 10, 2010]

2010 Philippine presidential election results: (candidate, party, results, votes, percent):
1) Benigno Aquino III Liberal, 12,233,002, 42.16 percent;
2) Joseph Estrada PMP, 7,749,597, 26.71 percent;
3) Manny Villar Nacionalista, 4,329,215, 14.92 percent;
4) Gilbert Teodoro Lakas Kampi CMD, 3,243,688, 11.18 percent;
5) Eddie Villanueva Bangon Pilipinas, 916,543, 3.16 percent;
6) Richard Gordon Bagumbayan-VNP, 431,954, 1.49 percent;
7) Nicanor Perlas Independent, 42,205, 0.15 percent;
8) Jamby Madrigal Independent, 37,119, 0.13 percent;
9) John Carlos de los Reyes Ang Kapatiran, 34,833, 0.12 percent. [Source: COMELEC tally, Wikipedia]

Popular vote: 1) Aquino, 42.16 percent; 2) Estrada, 26.71 percent; 3) Villar, 14.92 percent; 4) Teodoro, 11.18 percent; 5) Others, 5.03 percent Total valid votes cast, 29,018,156, 56.57 percent; Registered voters, 51,292,465, 100.00 percent; Clustered precincts reporting, 59,965, 78.41 percent.

Aquino held a commanding lead with just over 40 percent of the vote, compared with Estrada’s roughly 25 percent. Estrada surged into second place, drawing strong backing from poorer voters. Because Philippine presidential elections have no runoff system, the candidate with the highest number of votes is declared the winner. Aquino campaigned on an anti-corruption platform, promising to prosecute corrupt officials quickly and restore integrity to government institutions. His victory was widely seen as a public mandate to confront graft and improve governance, especially in contrast to rivals such as Villar, whose campaign had been damaged by allegations of ethics violations and self-enrichment.

Benigno Aquino III was officially declared the winner nearly a month after the May 10 election, following a prolonged vote count. He won more than 15.2 million votes—about 42 percent of the total—marking one of the most decisive victories in modern Philippine political history. Aquino, representing the Liberal Party once led by his parents, faced early political challenges. His party’s vice-presidential candidate, Mar Roxas, lost despite leading in pre-election surveys.Estrada’s running mate, Jejomar Binay, won the vice presidency, potentially complicating Aquino’s agenda. Aquino’s party also lacked a majority in Congress, where the outgoing president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo retained significant influence after winning a seat in the House of Representatives. [Source: AFP, June 8, 2010 ^^]

Aquino Begins His Term as Corruption-Fighter with Record High Trust Rating

When Benigno Aquino III took office in 2010, he began his presidency with an unprecedented 85 percent trust rating, the highest ever recorded by Pulse Asia since 1999. Surveys showed consistently strong support across all regions—Metro Manila, Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao—and across socio-economic classes. His trust numbers rose sharply from pre-election levels, while distrust and indecision declined. A similar survey by the Social Weather Stations found 88 percent of Filipinos expressing trust in him just before he formally assumed office. [Source: BBC, June 29, 2010; AFP, June 8, 2010; Joel D Adriano, Asia Times, February 5, 2011; abs-cbnNEWS.com, July 26, 2010]

Analysts described this surge in confidence as a possible “honeymoon period” for the new president. Mahar Mangahas of Social Weather Stations remarked that Aquino’s ratings were among the highest ever recorded. Aquino’s spokesperson attributed the public’s strong backing to perceptions of his honesty and credibility, emphasizing his reputation as a leader committed to truthfulness and reform.

Aquino entered office pledging to combat endemic corruption, reduce poverty, and improve governance. He vowed to lead by example, promising not only to avoid corruption himself but also to prosecute corrupt officials. Early in his administration, he signaled plans to investigate allegations against his predecessor, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Beyond anti-corruption efforts, Aquino identified economic reform as a top priority. With roughly a third of Filipinos living in poverty and millions working abroad due to limited domestic opportunities, he pledged to attract foreign investment, curb wasteful spending, strengthen the civil service, and invest more heavily in education and public services. He also acknowledged that the country’s deep-rooted problems would not be solved quickly.

Despite his strong mandate, Aquino faced mounting challenges, including rising crime rates and criticism over his leadership style. Opponents questioned his executive experience and accused his administration of favoring close associates. As high-profile crimes increased, pressure grew on his government to deliver tangible improvements in law enforcement and governance, testing whether his early popularity could translate into lasting reform.

Benigno Acquino III’s Effort to Collect Taxes and Fight Corruption

Aquino made improving tax collection a central priority of his administration, noting that tax evasion was estimated to deprive the government of roughly one-third of its annual operating budget. He pledged to investigate major tax avoiders and fast-track prosecutions, warning that offenders could face jail time. Critics, however, questioned whether his elite background and ties to powerful business families might complicate enforcement. Aquino responded that his government would ensure a level playing field and focus on strengthening the entire economy rather than protecting entrenched interests. [Source: Blaine Harden, Washington Post, May 7, 2010; [Source: Manuel Mogato, Reuters, October 31, 2013]

Aquino sought to address graft that had long weakened public finances and deepened poverty. During his presidency, the Philippine economy posted strong growth, fiscal management improved, and the country achieved investment-grade credit ratings. The Philippines also climbed in Transparency International’s corruption perceptions index rankings, reflecting gains in public-sector integrity and boosting investor confidence. Aquino estimated that corruption cost the country about 200 billion pesos annually, undermining trust and economic stability. His administration pursued criminal cases against former officials, including his predecessor Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, her relatives, and allies. He also supported investigations into alleged corruption within key government agencies and security forces, reinforcing his image as a president determined to confront high-level graft.

What began as a campaign battle cry became a central pillar of the reform agenda of Aquino, aimed at accelerating economic growth, attracting investment, and restoring public confidence. Speaking before the World Economic Forum, Aquino emphasized his determination to institutionalize anti-corruption reforms so they would become a lasting foundation for national progress rather than a temporary achievement. Although he acknowledged that improving the lives of the poor remained an ongoing challenge, he argued that curbing corruption had already strengthened the economy and broadened its benefits beyond the elite. He stressed that citizens should expect more from their government and see that their electoral mandate had real impact. [Source: Doris C. Dumlao, Philippine Daily Inquirer, January 25th, 2013 ==]

Aquino noted that when he assumed office in 2010, corruption had been widespread, citing irregularities in rice importation at the National Food Authority and questionable infrastructure projects under the Department of Public Works and Highways. He also pointed to the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona for failing to fully disclose his assets as evidence of accountability at the highest levels. Officials accompanying Aquino said that clearly presenting these reforms to global audiences helped reassure potential investors, many of whom were impressed by the administration’s bold steps and grew more confident about the country’s direction.

Philippines Economy Under Aquino

Under Aquino, the Philippines experienced strong economic growth and improved international standing, supported by anti-corruption drives and expanded anti-poverty programs such as conditional cash transfers. In October 2013, the Philippines earned another investment-grade credit rating, reinforcing its reputation as a rising investment destination in the region. The economy expanded by 7.6 percent in the first half of 2013—the fastest growth rate in Southeast Asia—while inflation remained within the 3 to 5 percent target range set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. Despite these gains, critics argued that economic growth had not translated quickly enough into job creation or meaningful poverty reduction. [Source: gmanetwork.com, October 6, 2013]

Unemployment was widely seen as a major factor behind the country’s persistently high 27.9 percent poverty rate as of mid-2013. President Benigno Aquino III warned that without inclusive growth, economic progress could remain cyclical and vulnerable to setbacks. He said his administration had allocated significant budget resources to social services, particularly in education, health care, and poverty alleviation, to ensure broader participation in economic gains.

Aquino also promoted the government’s conditional cash transfer (CCT) program, which assisted about four million families and was expanded to support students through high school, noting that high school graduates earned significantly more than elementary graduates. He highlighted key reforms such as the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act and the Sin Tax Reform Act, which increased revenues from tobacco and alcohol to fund health services. Aquino emphasized that the government’s goal was to equip citizens to take full advantage of the country’s economic resurgence.

Challenges for Aquino: Disasters, the Muslim South, China

Tensions with China over disputed islands in the South China Sea have increased after Aquino took office. In early 2013, the Philippines notified China that it would seek arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In June 2015, Aquino likened modern China to Nazi Germany during a speech in Japan, and said the world should not continue to appease Beijing as it claims ever-more territory in the South China Sea. The comments come as China was reclaming land in international waters at an alarming pace and was constructing a runway long enough for large military planes. "I'm an amateur student of history and I'm reminded of... how Germany was testing the waters and what the response was by various other European powers," he said, referring to the Nazis' territorial conquests in the months before the outbreak of World War II. "They tested the waters and they were ready to back down if, for instance, in that aspect, France said (to back down). But unfortunately, up to the annexation of the Sudetenland, Czechoslovakia, the annexation of the entire country of Czechoslovakia, nobody said stop. [Source: Kyoko Hasegawa, AFP, June 3, 2015]

In February 2011, talks with communist rebels led both sides to commit to a ceasefire and reach a peace accord within 18 months. However, the rebels withdrew from the negotiations in November, ending the ceasefire. No significant talks occurred until December 2012. In October 2011, significant fighting occurred with Moro rebels in western Mindanao and nearby Basilan. In October 2012, the government and the MILF reached a framework peace agreement that called for the creation of a new autonomous region to replace the existing one in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago. In September 2013, MNLF rebels, alienated by the MILF agreement, launched significant attacks in Zamboanga and Basilan. MILF negotiations led to a peace agreement in March 2014. Under this agreement, the new autonomous region of Bangsamoro would be established by 2016. It would have an enlarged territory and increased autonomy. [Source: Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed., Columbia University Press]

Northern Mindanao suffered deadly flash flooding in December 2011 after a typhoon struck, killing more than 1,200 people. A year later, southern and central Mindanao were hit by a super typhoon that caused similar flooding, killing more than 1,000 people. The islands of Bohol and Cebu in the Visayas suffered significant damage from an earthquake in October 2013. The following month, parts of Leyte, Samar, and Cebu were devastated by a super typhoon. This tropical storm also affected other islands and was the deadliest ever to hit the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people. In December 2014, parts of Samar suffered significant damage from another supertyphoon.

Aquino's Mr. Clean Image Hurt by Philippine Pork Barrel Politics

In 2013, President Benigno Aquino III faced his most serious political crisis when a major scandal erupted over lawmakers’ misuse of discretionary public funds. A whistleblower alleged that legislators—including some of Aquino’s allies—had siphoned off large portions of money allocated for local development projects through the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), commonly known as the “pork barrel.” The scale of the alleged theft shocked the public and damaged Aquino’s reputation as a corruption fighter, causing his approval ratings to fall sharply. [Source: Manuel Mogato, Reuters, October 31, 2013; The Economist, June 28, 2014 ^+^]

The controversy deepened as attention shifted to the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), a separate fund created by Aquino’s administration in 2011. Critics alleged that DAP allocations to senators following the impeachment of the chief justice amounted to political favoritism or bribery. Aquino denied any wrongdoing, insisting he had never stolen public funds and accusing opponents of attempting to derail reform efforts. Nevertheless, the allegations placed him on the defensive and distracted from his economic agenda.

In 2014, authorities began arresting prominent opposition senators accused of benefiting from the pork barrel scheme, including Bong Revilla, Jinggoy Estrada, and Juan Ponce Enrile. If convicted, they faced life imprisonment. The arrests were seen by supporters as a revival of Aquino’s anti-corruption campaign, though critics argued that the crackdown disproportionately targeted opposition figures.

Central to the scandal was businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles, who was accused of orchestrating a scheme that funneled pork barrel funds through fake non-governmental organizations and returned kickbacks to lawmakers. Media reports of her lavish lifestyle fueled public outrage. She and dozens of others, including senators and former congressmen, were charged with plunder, intensifying scrutiny of political patronage networks.

The scandal raised broader questions about Aquino’s reform legacy. Although his administration pursued numerous investigations into tax evasion and corruption, critics noted the lack of major convictions and accused him of failing to push structural reforms such as a Freedom of Information law. As perceptions grew that anti-corruption efforts were unevenly applied, observers warned that the controversy threatened to undermine the long-term credibility of his reform agenda.

In August 2014, a Makabayan lawmaker filed a fourth impeachment complaint against Benigno Aquino III, accusing him of falsely claiming the 2014 budget was free of pork barrel funds after the Supreme Court declared the PDAF unconstitutional amid the Janet Lim Napoles scandal. A month later, the House justice committee, dominated by Aquino’s allies, overwhelmingly dismissed three impeachment complaints that accused him of constitutional violations and corruption, including over a stimulus program partly struck down by the court and a defense pact expanding access for the United States. Aquino denied all allegations. [Source: Ellson Quismorio, Manila Bulletin, August 11, 2014; [Source: Associated Press, September 2, 2014]

Typhoon Haiyan and Duterte Further Damages Benigno Aquino’s Reputation

By the end of Aquino's term, many middle-class Filipinos felt left out, citing persistent traffic congestion, infrastructure problems, high taxes, and scandals like airport extortion schemes. Critics also pointed to perceived mishandling of crises, including the 2010 Manila hostage tragedy. The slow response to and and poor handling of Typhoon Haiyan, dubbed by critics as “typhoon Noynoy”, battered his reputation further.. [Source: Jim Gomez, Associated Press, May 11, 2016]

After thousands died in November 2013 when Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III came under mounting criticism over his administration’s handling of the disaster. As relief operations struggled to gain momentum, his office announced that he had ordered government agencies to create a coordinated mechanism with the international community to accelerate humanitarian aid and rehabilitation. Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras described the effort as one of the largest logistical and relief operations ever undertaken by the Philippine government, though critics doubted this would quickly repair the president’s damaged reputation. [Source: David Pilling, Financial Times, November 14, 2013 ~]

Despite the unprecedented strength of the storm, authorities were widely seen as unprepared for a catastrophe of such scale. In the hardest-hit areas, including Tacloban, foreign governments and aid agencies—among them the United States—were often the first to deliver substantial assistance. Even a week after the typhoon made landfall, some remote communities reported little visible presence from the national government. Aquino also faced criticism for his public demeanor during the crisis. In interviews, he rejected early projections of a death toll reaching 10,000, attributing such figures to emotional distress, though casualties ultimately exceeded his initial estimates. Reports alleged that he clashed with local officials during a visit to Tacloban and spoke harshly about looters. Commentators argued that his responses appeared defensive and insensitive, intensifying public frustration during one of the country’s worst natural disasters.

In the 2016 elections in which he could not compete, Aquino framed the vote as a referendum on his reformist “straight path” governance, but his chosen successor, Mar Roxas, lost decisively to tough-talking Davao mayor Rodrigo Duterte. Aquino had warned that Duterte and vice-presidential contender Bongbong Marcos could threaten democracy and reverse gains made during his term. Although Aquino left office with relatively high approval ratings, Duterte’s landslide victory signaled public frustration and a desire for more forceful leadership.[Source: Jim Gomez, Associated Press, May 11, 2016]

The possible rise of Marcos Jr., son of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was especially symbolic. Aquino, whose parents—Corazon Aquino and Benigno Aquino Jr.—were central figures in the struggle against Marcos’ dictatorship, warned against revising the past. For many activists, a Marcos political comeback represented a painful reminder that the promises of the 1986 People Power revolution had not fully resolved deep inequality and historical grievances.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Library of Congress, Philippines Department of Tourism, Philippines government websites, Encyclopedia.com, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Wikipedia, “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993, UNESCO, National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) the official government agency for culture in the Philippines), Lonely Planet Guides, The Guardian, National Geographic, Smithsonian magazine, The New Yorker, Time, The Conversation, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Google AI, and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated February 2026