Filipino Cardinal and Patriot. He helped regain and rebuild Philippine democracy by playing a major role in the downfall of two corrupted Philippino Presidents and the transition of power in the country by peaceful and bloodless means. He was born Jaime Lachica Sin in New Washington, Aklan, on the Philippine island of Panay to Juan Sin a merchant of Chinese descent and Maxima Reyes Lachica the 14th of 16 children. He was educated in the New Washington school system and was sent away at a young age to become a priest. He entered St. Vincent Ferrer Archdiocesan Seminary in Jaro, Iloilo with ordination on April 3, 1954. At the age of 39 was appointed Coadjutor Bishop of Jaro and in 1972 became the Bishop of Jaro at age 44. Two quick years later he was appointed Archbishop of Manila and in 1976 was made Cardinal by Pope Paul VI. He was cast from a role of a criticizer of the hated regime of Marcos but after the murder of Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., he began active resistance by organizing huge peaceful protest rallies. Sin presided over the funeral Mass, virtually making Aquino a secular martyr of the church. Dictator Ferdinand Marcos had to go and with his palace surrounded by people escaped in 1989 in a plane provided by the American Government. Sin was also a factor in protests that led to the ouster of President Joseph Estrada a womanizer with children from many different woman for corruption and misrule in 2001. The cardinal was not without his critics. He staunchly opposed artificial means of birth control and critics pointed out the countries problem of the overpopulation mired in poverty. 40 percent of the population survives on less than $1.a day. Sin seemed insulated from personal harm. The cardinal retired as archbishop where he served for three decades through political upheaval, martial law, repressive dictatorship and democratic rule as head of the Archdiocese of Manila in 2003 after reaching the retirement age of 75. His status in retirement was a constant battle to save his life Declining health forced him to curtail his appearances including the last Vatican conclave. Cardinal Sin lived quietly in seclusion at his villa in a Manila suburb He was afflicted with a kidney ailment for years brought on by diabetes. With a lingering fever, he was taken to the Medical Center in San Juan, Metro Manila where renal failure claimed him at the age of 76. His body was taken to Manila Cathedral lying in state for a week Masses were held four times a day while thousands of Filipinos filed by his casket. On his funeral day, with his country's flag draped casket was taken from the church placed on a carriage and paraded around Plaza Roma giving thousands of gathered mourners outside, unable to enter the Cathedral, a chance to see and honor the fallen Cardinal. His body was again returned to the Cathedral front where full state and military honors including a 21 gun salute were performed, then into the church for his official funeral mass. After the final commendation, the Cardinal's casket was taken to the crypt located beneath the cathedral's altar and interred in a place he himself chose several years ago beside Archbishop Gabriel B. Reyes, the first Filipino archbishop of Manila and Cardinal Rufino Jiao Santos, the first Filipino to be elevated to the cardinalate...Legacy...A museum ( probability will be designated a shrine) containing memorabilia from Cardinal Sin has been established at his village where he grew up, Punta, Sta. Ana. Also, a project he began, funded with his own and benevolent wealthy Filipinos now administered by the Serviam Foundation, the Jaime Cardinal Sin Village, a housing project for the poor of Sta. Ana. Sin was decorated three times by the Philippine government...the Philippine Legion of Honor, Order of Sikatuna and the Order of Lakandula.