Cruz, Patricia Mariz D.V.

READ
2M2 August 18, 2022

Assessment 1: Primary and Secondary Sources

Oral History

My name is Patricia Mariz Cruz and I was born on February 27, 2003, at Perpetual Succor
Hospital and Maternity in Sampaloc, Manila. My parents are Josue M. Cruz Jr. and Jeannette D.V.
Cruz. I have three sisters and I am the third daughter of my parents. On August 15, 2022, I
interviewed my mother to narrate the events on the day of my birth. We just came back from a
birthday party. I let my parents rest for a while then I went to their room to interview my mother.
The interview happened at 10 pm while she was lying in bed with my father then I sat at the end
of their bed and starter to ask her about the story of my birth.

The story of my birth was quite a rollercoaster for my parents. On February 24, 2003,
Monday, my parents went to Manila from Bulacan for my mother’s regular check-up. She was
only doing check-ups at ABC Diagnostic Clinic, a lying-in clinic, where she was supposedly going
to give birth as well. During her check-up, they found out that she was at 2cm dilated and in labor.
They were sent home by the doctor to wait for my birth. They went home to their house in
Blumentritt and when nothing happened, they went to divisoria to pass time and as my mother
says “para magtagtag.” For the next two days, they just stayed home and went for a walk around
the neighborhood, still waiting. My mother sent my father home to Bulacan because my two older
sisters are unaccompanied. On February 27, 2003, Thursday, my mother went back to the clinic
with my aunt, Tita Salud, for her check-up. When the doctor checked, my mother was back at 1cm.
The doctor advised my mother to move to a hospital because she was going to have a Cesarean
Section. My mother, together with my aunt, went to the hospital and had a check-up. When she
was checked, they found out that her water broke and its already empty. So, my mother was
operated on that day. I was born at exactly 3:01 pm and when I came out, the nurses said that I
was still in a “sack,” or “nasa supot,” as they call it. They told my mom that it was a lucky sign.
However, they later found out that I have eaten feces while I was in my mother’s womb.
Consequently, I was under observation because I had an infection. After 5 days, my mother went
home to Blumentritt while I was still at the hospital for observation. The one who looked after me
was the cousin of my father who was a personnel in the hospital office. After 10 days, the hospital
called my mother and informed them that I am in good health. Then my parents picked me up from
the hospital. My birth was very complicated and a big challenge for my parents. Nonetheless, they
still gave me all the love and care that I need while I was growing up.
Other Documentations
Birth Certificate Baptismal Certificate

My one-month-old self

Picture with my mom after the

interview
News on the date of my birth

On February 27, 2003, Former Bosnian Serb President Biljana Plavsic was sentenced to 11
years imprisonment for crimes against humanity by the United Nations International Criminal
Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Mrs. Plavsic, 72, was the highest-ranking official from
the former Yugoslavia. On 2002, she entered into a plea deal with the court, confessing to
organizing, initiating, assisting, and abetting persecutions of Muslim, Croat, and other non-Serb
people in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the country's civil conflict from 1992 to 1995. Mrs.
Plavsic did not design the program of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, and she had a smaller part in it
than some other Bosnian Serb leaders, but she supported it, ignored reports of inhumane treatment,
and publicly rationalized and justified those crimes. Mrs. Pravsic noted the need to recognize the
crimes committed during war as a necessary step towards peace and reconciliation, and hoped that
taking responsibility would enable her people to reconcile with their neighbors. As the court
recognized her guilty plea, Judge Richard stated that "misplaced leniency would not be fitting,” as
she was complicit in a heinous act that ruthlessly ruined numerous lives and communities.

Reflection

There are numerous methods for gathering data and information. Some information is best
obtained from a primary or main source, while others are better obtained from secondary sources.
I realized this while conducting the assessment. If I want to mention a person's firsthand point of
view on what happened and how they feel about a topic, I use primary sources. Primary sources
are essential in understanding what a person is going through, allowing for a more in-depth
comprehension of the topic. It is useful in learning about the conditions under which people lived
and allows me to relate to the individual who lived during that period. For example, the interview
that I did with my mother. I interviewed the woman who gave birth to me and asked her about her
first-hand experiences that day. However, primary sources might be quite opinionated and biased
at times. it might be difficult to distinguish the facts from the source's own opinions. On the other
hand, whenever I do an activity or research for school, I often use secondary sources. I usually use
secondary sources and search for articles and journals on the internet about a specific topic.
Secondary sources go beyond a single narrative and are less subjective than primary sources.
Secondary sources are immensely beneficial in supporting an argument since they not only supply
factual information but also provide context. Accordingly, I learned that to do great research, we
must be able to use both primary and secondary sources to learn about the accounts of people who
have witnessed the topic directly and what has been written about it since. An example of this is
the article I obtained from the internet about the news on the date of my birth. Whatever the subject
of discussion, always look at multiple primary and secondary sources since they may provide you
with a different viewpoint or fill a gap within a topic.

References:
United Nations (2003). UN Tribunal Sentences Former Bosnian Serb President to 11 Years. UN
News. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2003/02/60382-un-tribunal-sentences-former-bosnian-serb-president-to11-years