Corazon Aquino Sworn In as Philippine President

Context

Ferdinand Marcos had governed the Philippines since his election in 1965. He declared martial law in 1972, citing unrest and insurgencies, which allowed him to suspend Congress, control the media, and detain opponents while extending his tenure through a new constitution. Economic inequality widened under his rule, and allegations of corruption and cronyism grew alongside ongoing communist and Moro insurgencies.

What Happened

The immediate trigger was the February 7, 1986 snap election, called by Marcos after opposition pressure. Widespread reports of fraud led Corazon Aquino, widow of assassinated opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr., and her running mate Salvador Laurel to reject the official results. Beginning February 22, Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Armed Forces Vice Chief Fidel Ramos withdrew support from Marcos and barricaded themselves in military camps along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Manila. Cardinal Jaime Sin of Manila urged citizens to protect the defectors with nonviolent presence.

Aftermath

Marcos and his family departed Malacañang Palace for Hawaii on a U.S. aircraft the evening of February 25. Aquino was sworn in that afternoon at Club Filipino in San Juan before a large crowd and the international press. The new government immediately began dismantling Marcos-era institutions and promised a return to democratic governance.

Legacy

The four-day People Power Revolution, also called the EDSA Revolution, became a landmark example of largely nonviolent popular mobilization that ousted a dictator without major bloodshed. It restored a democratic constitution in 1987, limited presidential powers, and reestablished Congress, while positioning Aquino as an international symbol of peaceful resistance. The events influenced later movements in Asia and beyond that sought to end authoritarian regimes through mass civilian action.