Tingting Cojuangco


Margarita "Tingting" de los Reyes Cojuangco is a Filipino politician, philanthropist and socialite. She was the former Chairman of the Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino party and a member of the Council of Philippine Affairs. She is a columnist in The Philippine Star, and was a candidate for a seat in the Senate in the 2013 Philippine Senate Election. Cojuangco lost in the election. She is the aunt of Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.

Personal life

Margarita M. delos Reyes was born on April 29, 1944 to Geronimo delos Reyes and Lita Manzano. In 1962, she married Jose Sumulong Cojuangco, Jr., former Tarlac Representative and incumbent President of the Philippine Olympic Committee. She is mother to one of the popular equestriennes of the country, Mikaela "Mikee" Cojuangco,Josephine "Pin" Cojuangco-Guingona, Margarita Demetria "Maimai" Cojuangco-Zini, and Regina Patricia Jose "China" Cojuangco-Gonzalez.

Education

Tingting Cojuangco studied at the University of Santo Tomas, finished her Masters in National Security Administration at the National Defense College, and holds doctorate degrees in Criminology and Philippine History.

Career

She served as Tarlac Provincial Governor for 2 terms in 1992 until 1998. In 1998, she ran for re-election for a third and final term but lost the election. She tried to reclaim her old post in 2001 but still lost. Tingting Cojuangco is the president of the Philippine Public Safety College, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology. She was the Undersecretary for Special Concerns of the Department of the Interior and Local Government ; She was the Governor of Tarlac province from 1992 to 1998, and the President of the Philippine Public Safety College for eight years. She served as a Presidential Assistant to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ; full colonel, Reserve Forces of the Philippine Army ; and columnist of Philippine Star.
She is known for her humanitarian projects and her work among Muslim communities. She has participated in the peace talks with the Moro National Liberation Front.
Tingting Cojuangco has also taken on Gawad Kalinga as her pet philanthropy.

Awards