READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

MEMBERS:
BIASCA, KYLA DANIELLE
BITAS, KAREN JOY
EWARTA, BEATRIZ KIM
LABTO, JOHN MARK
ORTALIZ, DANA DORTHIE
SABER, CYRA SAMANTHA
WONG, PO CHU JEWELL

Reaction Paper on President Corazon

Aquino’s Speech Before the US Congress
Former Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino encouraged America to
help our country maintain its independence in a speech to the United States
Congress in September 1986.Cory Aquino's speech began and ended with
numerous references to her husband, former Senator Ninoy Aquino, whom the
Filipino country had designated as the anti-Marcos poster boy. Her speech was
intended to link Ninoy's suffering to that of the entire country, while also
connecting their family's past to the country's fate. In front of the US, she
defended her presence. On the one hand, Congress used symbolic phrases and
figurative language to allude to her relationship with the late Ninoy Aquino, but
on the other, she fulfilled her order to the Filipino people. In terms of its origins
and outcomes, she was successful in her analysis of the Martial Law era.
The Communist Party reportedly had 16,000 members by the end of
Martial Law, making Marcos the Party's biggest recruiter. Marcos' attempt to put
down a 500-strong communist insurgency by enforcing a restrictive policy
merely increased the Red Army's reach; the Communist Party reportedly had
16,000 members by the end of Martial Law, making Marcos the Party's biggest
recruiter. President Cory compared martial law to "trying to suffocate a thing
with the methods by which it thrives," noting that the communist insurgency
arose from enormous economic disparity. Cory Aquino appears to have such
faith in America that she encouraged the US to assist the Philippines in
exercising democracy. From today's perspective, it appears to be an open
invitation for the former to assist and then use it for its own geopolitical
purposes.
I inquired of my parents after hearing Cory Aquino's declaration if there
had been any big shift or effect as a result of her remarks. My uncle, on the other
hand, maintained that nothing has changed since his speech to the United
States. Congress was established in 1986.Despite what she said in her speech,
there is still no meaningful economic and social change program. It's sad to
consider that many pledges have been made by our country's highest officials,
but some of those promises have remained only as a term or a promise.