READING IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY

Activity I: Analyzing Primary Sources

Instructions: Read the full transcript of the undelivered Arrival Speech of Senator Benigno S.
Aquino, Jr., and answer the following questions. The speech can be accessed at http://
newsinfo.inquirer.net/631394/undelivered-speech-of-senator- benigno-S-aquino-jr

I. First Impressions (5pts. each)

A. What are your first impressions about the undelivered speech?

- The undelivered speech got me hanging for few seconds, I am not knowledgeable
with this topic and made me want to know more because it feels like an eye-opener
to me. While reading the transcript, I felt his compassion for our country and how
desperate he was to do something for our country. However, I am questioning
myself, if this is what he really feels in this moment? As what I say, I do not know a
lot about this matter and what type of person and senator Benigno Aquino Jr. is.
B. What kind of document is it (letter, ad, newspaper, etc.)?
- Speech

Activity II

A. Make a list of unusual or unfamiliar words or phrases you encountered while reading
the speech. (1pt each)
1. Subversion
2. Leniency
3. Tyranny
4. Bedevil
5. Surmounted
6. Cadre
7. Steadfastly
8. Curbed
9. Repression
10. Dogma
11. Exile
12. Musketry
13. Tribunal
14. Asylum
 B. Is there a specific date on the speech? If so, when is it? If there is none, are there clues
that might indicate when it was written? (3pts)
- There are dates that was mentioned in the undelivered speech however, it wasn’t
the date when it was written. But there are clues mentioned that might help in
determining when this document was written, it is the date of his return in the
Philippines, August 21, 1983 or it might also be before his flight.
C. Is there an indicated location? Where is it? (3pts)
- There wasn’t an indicated location but I think we wrote this speech at the United
States of America before his flight or while taking his flight, in the plane specifically.
D. Who authored the document? Why did you say so? (3pts)
- The author of the document is no other than Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr. because the
speech used first person point of view where he deliberately expressed what he
feels and his opinions, and what he thought that the country need to do in order to
settle some problems.
E. To whom was the written document addressed? How did you know? (3pts)
- The document was addressed to those Filipino that was against him and to all
Filipino because the document is about what was happening in the country.
F. What is the purpose of the document? What made you think so? (3pts)
- I think the purpose of the document is to express his beliefs that justice can be
achieved and problems will be settled with nonviolence.

Activity III (2pts)

A. What do you think is the most important information that the author of the document
was conveying? Why?
- The author was conveying an important message and it is to fight for freedom and
rights of every Filipino and what ways they can do in order to solve the current
problem that the country was facing.
B. Does the document convey a certain tone? What is it?
- The document was serious and informal.
C. What does it imply?
- It is a crucial matter to every one of them.
D. What is the point of view of the author? It is objective? Why?
- The point of view of the author is subjective, it is because the speech was written
with his opinions, ideas, and beliefs.
E. What is the relationship between the writer and the audience? Explain your answer.
- The writer is the sender of information that might help to the receiver or the
audience to understand, study and to inform about something, in this situation the
sender wants to give knowledge and to explain further their current situation.