Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino III was born on February 8, 1960. He is the third of the five children of President Corazon C. Aquino and Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.

He has four sisters, Maria Elena (Ballsy), Aurora Corazon (Pinky), Victoria Eliza (Viel), and Kristina Bernadette (Kris).

Aquino studied in Ateneo de Manila University for his elementary, high school, and college education, graduating in 1981 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

In 1983, shortly after the murder of his father, Noynoy had a short tenure as a member of the Philippine Business for Social Progress.

From 1985 to 1986, he was retail sales supervisor and youth promotions assistant for Nike Philippines and later an assistant for advertising and promotion for Mondragon Philippines.

On August 28, 1987, eighteen months into the presidency of Aquino's mother, rebel soldiers led by Gregorio Honasan staged an unsuccessful coup attempt, attempting to siege Malacañang Palace.

Aquino was two blocks from the palace when he came under fire. Three of his four security escorts were killed, and the last was wounded protecting him. Aquino himself was hit by five bullets, one of which is still embedded in his neck.

In 1993, he went to work for the Central Azucarera de Tarlac, the sugar refinery owned by the Cojuangco clan.

Aquino was elected to the House of Representatives in 1998, representing the 2nd District of Tarlac. He won re-election in 2001 and 2004, and served until 2007.

Aquino was also Deputy Speaker from November 8, 2004 to February 21, 2006.

Barred by term limits, Aquino sought and was elected to the Senate in the May 14, 2007 midterm elections.

With more than 14.3 million votes, Aquino's tally was the sixth highest of the 37 candidates for the 12 vacant seats elected from the nation at large. He assumed his new office on June 30, 2007.

Noynoy is a cousin of presidential candidate Gilberto Teodoro.

While Teodoro's mother Mercedes Cojuangco is the first cousin of former President Aquino, both families have always been on different sides of the political fence since the 1960's.

Vice President:

Mar Roxas

Senators:

Sonia Roco
Danilo Lim
Neric Acosta
Martin Bautista
Alex Lacson
TG Guingona
Yasmin Lao
Sergio Osmeña III
Ruffy Biazon
Ralph Recto
Risa Hontiveros
Franklin Drilon