Aquino, 75, was swept into power by the peaceful "people power" revolt that ousted late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in 1986, cementing her as an icon of democracy.
Usually dressed in her trademark yellow in public, she has remained active in social and political causes. Most recently, she has been attending rallies calling for the resignation of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
Kris Aquino, fighting tears, read a statement on live television that said her mother had gone in for tests after suffering from high blood pressure and difficulty breathing during the Christmas and New Year holidays, then a persistent cough and weight loss.
"The result showed our mother is suffering from cancer of the colon," she said.
"We know that the life of our family is already part of our country's history. It was our mother's decision for us to come out with this statement. Our mother, like all patients ... needs time to rest. We respectfully ask she be accorded her privacy. We ask you for your compassion and prayers for our mom's recovery."
A former housewife, Aquino reluctantly took over as Marcos' main challenger after her husband, opposition leader Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., was gunned down at a Manila airport upon returning from exile in 1983.
Three years later, hundreds of thousands of demonstrators, accusing Marcos of cheating in the 1986 election, swept Aquino to power in a peaceful protest that became a harbinger of change in authoritarian regimes worldwide.
Marcos fled the country and died in Hawaii in 1989. Aquino held office until 1992.
"During Ninoy's incarceration and before my presidency, I used to ask why it had always to be us to make the sacrifice," she told a newspaper last year. "And then, when Ninoy died, I would say, why does it have to be me now? It seemed like we were always the sacrificial lamb."
Aquino again became active in 2001, throwing her support behind Arroyo, who was swept to power in the country's second "people power" revolt, toppling Joseph Estrada.
However, Aquino later took on Arroyo, joining opposition figures in calling for her resignation over allegations of vote-rigging in the 2004 elections and, more recently, allegations of corruption.
See the link:
CBS news