READINGS IN PHILIPPINE HISTORY  

Module 2: ​CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PRIMARY SOURCES 

Lesson 9: ​Speech Analysis  
Activity 1: Speech of Corazon Aquino: United States Congress (1986)   
Name:GABRIEL S. BONZO Date: OCTOBER 15, 2019 Score:__________  
Instruction: ​Analyze the Speech of Corazon Aquino before the Joint session of the United 
States Congress (1986) by answering the following questions: I.​ ​The Communication Situation:  
A.​ ​Speaker​:  
1. Who is the speaker?  
- She Is the former 11​th​ President and the 1​st​ Lady President of our country, H.E. 
Corazon C. Aquino. 
- Born in January 25, 1933 in Tarlac, Philippines 
- With a Bachelor’s degree in both French and Mathematics 
2. What do you know/what can you find out about the speaker as a person?   
- She is known for as the wife of the oppositionist of Former President Marcos. A 
loving mother to her daughters. 
B.​ ​Audience​:  
1. What sort of people constitutes the audience? 
-  It was the lawmakers of U.S. and it was delivered during the 
Joint Session of U.S. Congress. 
C.​ ​Circumstances​:  
1. On what occasion is the speech made?  
- That was the Joint Session of the U.S. Congress with the lawmakers in 
September 18, 1986. 
 
2. Was the speech appropriate to the occasion? Why or why not? 
-  Yes. She thank the Americans by giving the Filipino people a free 
country and making it better to live in with the moral and financial support 
of the America. 
D.​ ​Topic​:  
1.​ ​What is the speech about? Give a brief outline  
a. Introduction: How did the speaker begin the speech?  
- She aggrandized the role of America in the world as the promoter of a righteous 
system of governance and further strengthened the reputation of the said country 
as a model for greatness. 
b. Body: What are the concerns/issues/topics/views the speaker discussed in his/her 
speech? 
- President Cory’s speech was been adorned by countless references to her 
husband-Former Senator Ninoy Aquino. Whom the Filipino nation had assigned as 
the poster boy for anti-Marcos movements. Her speech even went so far as to 
connect Ninoy’s struggle with that of the whole nation. 
- To mark a new beginning for the Filipino from the Marcos regime. 
- To appeal for financial assistance by informing the Americans about the 
Philippines’ state.  
  
c. Conclusion: How did the speaker end the speech? 
-  
2. What is the governing idea running through the speech?   
-  The speech centers on the miserable experiences of the 
Aquino family, how the family mourns about their loss and how the 
government threated their family. She did not state the positive 
contributions of the Marcos’ administration and only focused on the 
negativity of his term. 
E.​ ​Language  
1. What language is used in the speech?  
- It was English. Because in front of her was the U.S, lawmakers, so they can 
understand what she is telling to them. 
2. What sort of vocabulary was used: simple or deep? Did the vocabulary help for the 
better understanding of the speech? 
- In front of the U.S. Congress, she used figurative words and metaphorical 
language, alluding to her connection with the late Ninoy on one hand and 
fulfilling her mandate to the Filipino people on the other. 
3. How did the speaker persuade the audience (ethos, logo, pathos)? Explain  
F.​ ​Purpose  
1.​ ​What seems to be the speaker's purpose?  
- To declare the freedom of the Filipinos from 
the Marcos regime 
-  To mark a new beginning for the Filipinos and 
to its government 
-  To appeal for financial assistance by 
informing the Americans about the state of 
the Philippines that time. 
 
3. Did the speaker achieve his/her purpose? 
- Yes, definitely. As a result to her speech, 
the US Congress approved to give 
financial assistance to the Philippines.  
  
II. External Factors  
A.​ ​Appearance:  
1. How does the speaker stand or move about?  
- She stands firm and with high dignity to the US lawmakers 
2. How is the speaker dressed?  
- Formally dressed, fits to the said occasion. 
3. Does the speaker appear emotional or detached? How?  
- Sort of emotional and being thankful to be the highest leader of the Philippines 
after the Marcos regime. Thanking the Americans for their invaluable support to 
the country. 
 4. Anything noteworthy about the speaker's gestures?  
- She’s with high confidence to herself while speaking to the US Congress. 
5. Anything noteworthy about the speaker's facial expressions? – 
- She still smiles to her audiences and express with utmost confidence. 
B.​ ​Which of the above do you consider circumstantial?  
C.​ ​Which do you consider part of a strategy for self-presentation or impression 
management?  
III. Evaluation  
A. Is the speech successful? Why?  
- Yes. She expresses the feeling of our nation in front of the US Congress after that 
regime of Marcos.  
B. Is it a good speech? Why?  
C. Does it communicate its intended message? Why?  
D. Does it hit its target audience? Why?  
E. Does it fit the occasion? Why?  
F. Is it convincing? Why?  
- Yes. Pres. Cory Aquino appears to have the utmost confidence and trust in 
America that she invited the country to help the Philippines in practicing and 
preserving its democracy.  
G. Is the argumentation solid? Why?  
- Yes. The speech stated Pres. Cory’s individual ideas and aspirations and also 
guiding principles and framework of the government that she represented. 
H. Is the use of logos, ethos and pathos balanced? How  
I. Is language and the use of stylistically devices balanced? How?  
IV. As a primary source: What does the speech say about the Philippine history during 
its delivery?  
- Thirty years on, we still owe a huge amount of money to various lending institutions, 
and in fact, our debt has grown ever larger and now and now includes not only 
foreign banks but also local banks.  
- The Philippines is 7 months free from the martial law era that lasted 14 years.