Personal Life
Born on January 25, 1933 in Paniqui, Tarlac, Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong Cojuangco was the 6th child of Jose Cojuangco Sr. and Demetria Sumulong. Her siblings were Pedro, Josephine, Pacita, Teresita and Jose Jr. Both Cory's parents came from prominent clans. Her father, Jose, was a prominent Tarlac businessman and politician. Melecio Cojuangco, her great grandfather, served as a member of the historic Malolos Congress. Meanwhile, her mother, Demetria, belonged to the Sumulongs of Rizal who were politically influential. Juan Sumulong, a member of the clan, challenged then Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon for president in 1941.
As a young girl, Cory spent her elementary days at St. Scholastica's College in Manila, where she graduated on top of her class and batch as valedictorian. For high school, she transferred to Assumption Convent for her first year of high school. Afterwards, she went to the United States to finish her secondary education. There she continued her college education. She went to the College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York City, where she majored in Mathematics and French. During her stay in the United States, Cory volunteered for the campaign of U.S. Republican presidential candidate Thomas Dewey against then U.S. President Harry S. Truman during the 1948 U.S. Presidential Election.
Throughout her entire life until her very last days, Cory was known to be a very devout and conservative Roman Catholic Christian. Besides English, Tagalog, and Kapampangan, Cory was also fluent in French.
Read more about this topic: Corazon Aquino
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