Butz Aquino

Agapito A. Aquino II
Senator of the Philippines
In office
June 30, 1987 – June 30, 1995
Member of the Philippine House of Representatives from Makati City's Second District
In office
June 30, 1998 – June 30, 2007
Preceded by Position created
Succeeded by Abigail Binay
Personal details
Born (1939-05-20)May 20, 1939
Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines
Died August 17, 2015(2015-08-17) (aged 76)
San Juan, Metro Manila, Philippines
Spouse(s) Popsy Mendez-Aquino
Relations Servillano Aquino (grandfather)
Benigno Aquino Jr. (brother)
Tessie Aquino-Oreta (sister)
Corazon Aquino (sister-in-law)
Benigno S. Aquino III (nephew)
Bam Aquino (nephew)
Children 5

Agapito Aquino (May 20, 1939 – August 17, 2015), more popularly known as Butz Aquino, was a Senator of the Philippines[1] and congressman from Makati City. He was born to former senator Benigno Aquino, Sr., and Aurora Aquino-Aquino. He was the brother of former senators Benigno Aquino, Jr. and Tessie Aquino-Oreta, as well as the uncle of President Benigno Aquino III as well as Paolo Benigno "Bam" Aquino IV.

Early life

Agapito “Butz” Aquino was born at May 20, 1939. His father is the former senator Benigno Aquino Sr. and his mother is Aurora Aquino. His siblings were Ninoy Simeon Aquino Jr., Paul Aquino, Maria Teresa Aquino-Oreta, Maria Gerarda Aquino, Maria Guadalupe Aquino and, Maria Aurora Aquino. He was eight years old when his father had died in December 20, 1947. His brother Ninoy had to work early who acted as the father figure when their father died.[2]

Education

Agapito Aquino went to San Beda College for his elementary education. He then went to Ateneo de Manila University for his secondary education. For his tertiary education, he attended Mapua Institute of Technology where he took up a course on B.S Electrical Engineering.

Early career

He started out as an entrepreneur and was the President of Mofire Fiberglass Inc. from the 1970s until the 1980s. In that period, he wasn’t interested in politics. He was said to be cynical about politics and believed that politics was a "ballgame of the rich".[3] He started participating in politics when his brother Ninoy, was assassinated in August 21, 1983 at the Manila International Airport in Pasay.[3] In August 17, 2015, he died at the age of 76, which according to Paolo “Bam” Aquino died due to natural causes.[4]

Political career

Under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Agapito was one of the founders of the August Twenty One Movement (ATOM) and Bansang Nagkakaisa sa Diwa at Layunin (BANDILA).[4] Jejomar Binay was also one of the founders of ATOM as a legal counselor.[5] Agapito became close friends with Binay as co-founders. He led peaceful, non-violent rallies and marches against the Marcos authoritarian rule.

In 1987, he was elected to be a Senator of the Philippines and continued to be part of Senate in his 2nd election in 1992. He then became part of the House of Representatives as the representative of the 2nd District of Makati City in 1998. He continued to be as a representative until his 3rd term which ended in 2007. In addition, he also was the Deputy Speaker for Luzon from November 2000 to January 2001 and the Minority Floor Leader from January 2001 to June 2001. After his last term as a representative, he never again joined in any political position. In 2010, he said to a Philippine Star Interview that he had plans in returning to the senate but after learning that his nephew, Benigno Aquino III, was one of the Liberal Party’s candidate for presidency, he backed out and supported his nephew.

He was known for being an advocate of small farmers and of cooperative principles as he legislated the notable Magna Carta for Small Farmers, Seed Act, and the Cooperative Code of the Philippines.[4]

Awards and recognitions

Filmography

Television series

Death

Butz Aquino died on August 17, 2015 while confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center, cited "natural causes", according to his nephew, Senator Bam Aquino. He was 76.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Axelrod-Contrada, Joan (September 1998). Women Who Led Nations. The Oliver Press, Inc. pp. 83–. ISBN 978-1-881508-48-9. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  2. ↑ "AGAPITO "BUTZ" AQUINO ON HIS BROTHER NINOY". Presidential Museum and Library. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Agapito Aquino". senate.gov.ph. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 "Butz Aquino, former senator and pillar of anti-dictatorship movement, dies at 76". Interaksyon. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "AUGUST TWENTY-ONE MOVEMENT (ATOM)". CESDEV. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
  6. ↑ "Ex-senator ‘Butz’ Aquino is dead, says Sen. Bam Aquino". Philippine Daily Inquirer. August 17, 2015. Retrieved 2015-08-17.

External links

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