Lesson 8: President Corazon Aquino’s Speech before the U.S. Congress Sept.

18, 1986

Course: Reading In Philippine History

Activity 08

After Watching the short documentary video of the late former president Cory Aquino,
write a context and content analysis of the primary source by filling out he necessary
information in the worksheet provided.

President Corazon Aquino’s Speech Before the Joint Session of the US

Congress

1. Document The author of this document are Sec.

 Who is/are the author/s? Teodoro Locsin Jr. and President Corazon
Aquino.

2. Author(s) / Creator(s) Corazon Aquino, along with Teodoro Locsin

 What information about the
author(s)/creator(s) makes
her/him credible in coming
up with the primary source?
Jr, was his speechwriter and the one who
prepared his speech before his presidency on
September 18, 1986. Maria Corazon Aquino
or better known as Corazon Aquino was
born on June 25, 1933, in the province of
Tarlac, Philippines. After the long rule of
former President Ferdinand Marcos, she led
and served as the first female President of
the Republic of the Philippines and restored
democratic governance to our country.
Teodoro Locsin was also one of the authors
of the speech before the joint session of the
US Congress. On the other hand, Teodoro
Locsin Jr., the man who wrote and arranged
the speech but did not finish it so it was
former President Corazon Aquino who
finished the speech previously. He was also a
speechwriter and secretary of late Corazon
Aquino.

The 11th president of our country is Corazon

Aquino. She was also a leader of the people’s

3.Historical Context of the
document
 What were the situations and
who are the key personalities
that distinguishes the era
during the time the document
was created?
4. Content Presentation and
Analysis of the Important
Historical Information Found in
the Document.
 What does the document say?
power revolution, also called the 1986 EDSA
Revolution. She was also one of those who
fought against former President Marcos for
the freedom of every Filipino. Teodoro
Locsin Jr served Corazon Aquino as legal
counsel and speechwriter. He is also a
former journalist who gives information to
people about what happened then until now.
When former President Corazon Aquino
comes to Congress, everyone present stood
up, and when she began to speak before the
joint session of the United States Congress in
September 1986, it all started there. The
month of September 1986 was the first visit
to America since overthrowing the dictator
Ferdinand Marcos in February 1986, and the
Philippines was suffering because of
everything his administration had caused.
That includes 26 billion dollars in foreign
debt.
Late President Corazon Aquino delivered a
historic speech for the US congress to favor
her for the recovery of the Philippine
economy due to the martial law of late
Ferdinand Marcos. House Speaker Tip
O'Neill was so impressed with President
Cory Aquino’s speech that he said it was the
best speech he had ever heard. Senate
Majority Leader Robert Dole and House
Minority Whip Trent Lott agreed. This was
the best speech for the former President.
 This document says is what happened
to Ninoy Aquino during the
administration of former president
Marcos. also including foreign debts
and events during martial law.
  What are the significant terms
or phrases, events, people,
and places mentioned in the
document?
 What significant opinions or
viewpoints it conveys?
5. Contribution and Relevance of
the Document in Understanding
the Grand Narrative of Philippine
History
 How can the document help
in understanding our past
and help people better
appreciate our heritage,
especially young people like
you?
 What important lesson in this
historical event did you
realize and appreciate?
Expound your answer.
 President Corazon Aquino told a story
about her bereaved husband and what
happened to this family at that time.
 President Corazon Aquino said “ still
we fought of honor, and if for only
honor, we shall pay” what she trying
to say is their fight is not wasted and
especially not nonsense.
 The Aquino family's participation in
EDSA People Power
 the country is saddled with a huge
amount of debt from foreign creditors
due to the corruption of Marcos’
administration
 Do not oppress political dictators and
It is about the leadership of late
President Marcos and unpaid debts.
the speech of former President Corazon
Aquino gave an insight into how every
Filipino suffered at the hands of the
administration of former president Marcos
and because of the past young people like
me have been inspired to give a free speech
about what is happening. it also gave a clear
view of what happened to Ninoy Aquino
during his time. This document is also about
how the Aquino fought for freedom for the
Philippines. It also tells how deceptive
politics was then which is still happening till
now so you need to vote who deserves it.
The important lesson I learned is don't vote
for people who will only use you for
themselves. Don't be fooled with nice words
 but research about what they have done for
our country. We don't need a wise leader of
the country we need those who do his job.
And I realize that not everyone in politics
will be able to trust. Some people in politics
don’t deserve the position so be wise.

Assessment

Essay.

1. Compare and contrast the Philippine situation during Marcos’s regime and
present administration in terms of: (Use T-chart per each)

1.1 Peace and Order

Compare
During Marcos's time, he declared martial
law in which many people were tortured
and others were killed. The late President
Marcos ordered to arrest of the opposition
leaders and militant activists. It also
describes the violence, crime and,
suspension of habeas corpus, and other
propositions of the Philippines that are
still happening under the leadership of
President Duterte. The people killed by
police, for this reason, sell or use illicit
drugs. there is also a lot of violence that is
happening today such as raping women
who are still to criticize so it happened to
them. Duterte also declared martial law on
May 23, 2017, on the island of Mindanao.
However the leadership of President
Duterte, you can say there is peace
because every Filipino has the freedom to
speak.
Contrast
In the Philippine situation during the time
of late president Ferdinand Marcos, you
could not say that the people had peace
because their freedom was limited, such as
it was forbidden to talk regarding what
was going on in politics and another
reason was martial law. The late President
Marcos, who himself banned freedom of
the press and other civil liberties,
abolished Congress, controlled media
establishments nationwide, and his
strongest opponent, Senator Benigno
Aquino Jr. Now during the time of
president Duterte, everyone is free to say
what we want to say about the
government and the administration is not
strict with the people today.
 1.2 Justice and Human rights
Compare
The administration of late president
Marcos is believed to be the most brutal
because he tortures even innocent people
and incurs the death penalty. The
demonstration was pure injustice of the
corrupt, often brutal, and shameless
Marcos regime. The administration today
is just as full of massacres, especially when
President Duterte was just new. Many
politicians were imprisoned and removed
from their positions. He is also called
second Marcos because of the method of
his leadership which has resulted in many
Filipinos wanting to remove him.
1.3 Rule of law
Compare
In September 1972, President Ferdinand
Marcos announced on television that he
had placed the whole of the Philippines
under martial law. Where everyone must
obey if they do not want to be punished.
This marked the beginning of 14 years of
one-man rule that will effectively last until
Marcos is removed as president of the
Philippines. President Duterte also
practiced martial law but it did not last as
long as Marcos. He also had many
similarities to the law similar to the laws
made by President Marcos but the law of
Marcos is a tutor for every Filipino.
1.4 Transparency
Contrast
Marcos' leadership on human rights is not
humane especially with the death penalty
he likened and to those who were
imprisoned even without guilt it was very
brutal and inhumane but they did not get
justice from the people who were tortured
by the late President's administration for
them. The administration of President
Duterte is also inhumane but those who
were killed and tortured get the justice
they deserve and the criminals are not
killed but imprisoned only to pay for their
sins.
Contrast
The rule of law of late president Marcos is
brutal for every Filipino especially the
Aquino family. The law that can be
enforced cannot be said to be humane. It
also has a good example but there are also
not especially those who were punished at
that time. The rules of President Duterte's
law can be said to be humane because the
penalties are not that severe. Affordable
rules should only be followed in order not
to be incarcerated.
 Compare
During the time of late president Ferdinand
Marcos, there was a lot of corruption and
unpaid debts in the years 1973 to 1986
amounting to 11.3 billion dollars which
caused a rally to oust him. It also says that
all the wealth of the Marcos family comes
from the county's fund. The present
president Duterte, on the other hand, has
also faced much political corruption, and all
of that he has been imprisoned and ousted
from his position. But they are the same as
the late president Marcos who had a huge
debt abroad that reached a trillion. As a
result of the two presidents being indebted
the country’s economy became low.
1.5 International relation
Compare
The relationship of late President Marcos
with other countries is good he was able to
give a speech in America which was also
done by our President Duterte. Many
different leaders of the country faced and
talked. Some countries fought and opposed
their administration but they fixed this gap
immediately. Unlike president Marcos,
President Duterte has many warring
members of large organizations. President
Marcos was a feared foreign president
during his time because he was smart.
2. What is the greatest contribution of EDSA Revolution in the Philippines and the
world? Why?
Contrast
The debts of President Marcos he could not
pay but the current of money in the
Philippines would increase during his time.
All the money he owed is for the next
Marcos will sit as president of the
Philippines and it will be used to develop
the country. According to the wife of late
President Marcos, all the money for the
Philippines is hidden. President Duterte, on
the other hand, said that the money
borrowed is for the betterment of the
country and the vaccine, especially now that
there is Covid 19. The money borrowed is
made like road and the one in manila bay,
but the country's economy is declining in
the amount of debt paid and the current
money is decreased.
Contrast
The late President Marcos spoke in America
but when he was ousted it was the late
President Corazon Aquino who spoke
against him. The topic is regarding bad and
sad events in administration Marcos.
However, President Marcos made many
friends. The present Duterte, on the other
hand, does not have such good relations
with other countries because he often
interferes with the presidents of the
countries he speaks of, but many still trust
him and lend to the country.
- The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution gathered millions of Filipinos
from all walks of life to march along Epifanio de Los Santos Avenue
(EDSA), to end the dictatorship of President Ferdinand E. Marcos and
begin a new era. marked. through true freedom and democracy. The
EDSA People Revolution was a historic event that delivered one of the
country’s best histories. It was a conspiracy to overthrow the late
President Marcos. This is important because every Filipino has become
free in the hands of the dictatorial president.