Philippines 15th President: Benigno Aquino III

The Philippine parliament on Wednesday proclaimed Benigno Aquino as the country's 15th president.

Aquino, who formally takes office on June 30, crushed his rivals after promising to tackle the pervasive graft and grinding poverty that have long afflicted the sprawling Asian archipelago of more than 90 million people.

The 50-year-old bachelor also drew on the enormous public support for his democracy hero parents, who remain revered for their efforts in ending the 20-year rule of Ferdinand Marcos.

Aquino secured just over 15.2 million votes, or nearly 42 per cent of the total, according to final results released by parliament on Tuesday following the May 10 election.

Former president Joseph Estrada finished well behind in second place with nearly 9.5 million votes.

A joint session of parliament formally ratified the results and proclaimed Aquino the Philippines' 15th president. His inauguration is scheduled for the end of the month.