Corazon Aquino was the first female president of the Philippines. She took office in 1986 after the People Power Revolution ousted the authoritarian regime of Ferdinand Marcos. As president, Aquino worked to restore democracy and civil liberties. She freed political prisoners, restored habeas corpus, and had pro-Marcos generals resign. Aquino also tackled the struggling economy, paying off foreign debt while achieving moderate economic growth during most of her term.