Speech of

President Corazon
Aquino during the
Joint Session of the
U.S. Congress,
September 18, 1986

GUINTO, LAUSA, PESINABLE, SIANGCO

Maria Corazon "Cory" Sumulong
Cojuangco Aquino
Corazon Aquino, full name Maria Corazon Cojuangco
Aquino, was a political figure in the Philippines who
served as its first female president (1986–1992) and
helped to lead the country in democracy following
Ferdinand Marcos' protracted dictatorship. She was
born on January 25, 1933, in Tarlac province and passed
away on August 1, 2009, in Makati.
A commission was established by Corazon Aquino to
create a new constitution that reinstated the bicameral
Congress that Ferdinand Marcos had overthrown; it was
approved by an overwhelming majority. Marcos'
supporters' economic monopolies were dismantled by
Aquino, who also held elections for the new Congress. She
did not, however, implement significant economic or social
reforms.
 Historical Background of the
Document
In September 1986, the
controversy had only started to
fade when former President
Corazon Aquino addressed a
joint session of the US Congress.
Her trip to the United States was
her first since the tyrant
Ferdinand Marcos was
overthrown in February of the
same year, and the Philippines
was still recovering from the
damage his regime had caused.
This featured a $26 billion overall
foreign debt and a communist
insurgency that increased from
500 armed guerillas to 16,000
during the Marcos
administration.
Aquino made a request for
assistance. She made a historic
statement to the House and was
able to change the outcome of
the vote on an emergency $200
million aid appropriation in her
favor. Given that it was 1986 and
a sensitive topic in the United
States, Aquino justified her
conciliatory stance on the
communist insurgency and
pleaded for financial support to
help the Philippines' economy
recover.
Applause interrupted the speech
11 times, twice with standing
ovations, and it was describe as
passionate, highly personal, and
powerful. Senate Majority Leader
Robert Dole exclaimed, "You hit a
home run," and House Minority
Whip Trent Lott said, "Let's just
say the emotion of the moment
saved the day." It went down in
the nation's history as one of the
former President's best speeches.
 Content Presentation and Analysis
On September 22, 1972, members of the Philippine Constabulary-Metropolitan Command (PC-
METROCOM) under the command of Col. Romeo Gatan detained opposition senator Benigno Aquino Jr.,
as well as senators, publishers, and anyone else who had advocated for democracy, at the Manila Hilton
Hotel in Ermita, Manila. The arrest took place a day after President Ferdinand E. Marcos issued Proclamation
Number 1081 placing the whole Philippines under martial law.

Ninoy was returned to Fort Bonifacio on August 27, 1973, where he appeared before a Military Tribunal on
allegations of murder, illegal possession of firearms, and subversion. In a military camp in the north, they
imprisoned him in a tiny, virtually airless cell. He was stripped naked, and the prospect of an unexpected
midnight execution was placed over his head. Ninoy persevered valiantly throughout it all. The authorities
withheld his family's knowledge of what had happened to him for forty-three days.

Aquino left for a meandering week-long flight on August 13, 1983, from Boston to Los Angeles, passing
through Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Because Marcos had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan, the
Taiwanese government had no duty to assist in the regime's attempt to keep Aquino away from Manila. On
August 21, 1983, while China Airlines Flight 811 was descending at Manila International Airport, Aquino
instructed the foreign journalists who were flying with him to prepare their cameras. He said with chilling
foresight, "In a matter of three or four minutes it may all be over." Aquino was shot and killed by an assassin
minutes after the jet landed. Cory Aquino then departed the country to bury her husband.
 Content Presentation and Analysis
She underlined that the war they started was not in vain and was not a pointless one, saying, "Still, we fought
for honor, and if just for honor, we shall pay. The Filipino people fought back against the government well.
She accepted the duties of providing for and defending the freedom of the entire nation: "The burden had
fallen on my shoulder to continue giving the democratic alternative to our people."

Amidst harsh domestic and American criticism for his handling of an escalating communist insurgency and a
dire economic crisis, Marcos called for "snap," or early, presidential elections. Despite her lack of political
experience, Corazon Aqunio said she would consider challenging Marcos if 1 million signatures were
amassed urging her to run. 1,005,882 signatures had been gathered, according to 72-year-old former
newspaper editor Joaquin Roces in favor of Aquino's candidacy. The eventual outcome was the election of
Mrs. Corazon Aquino as president and Mr. Salvador Laurel as vice president of the Philippines. Her steadfast
dedication to the democratic process—"Archibald MacLeish had remarked that democracy must be
protected by guns when it is opposed by arms and by truth when it is assaulted by lies—is all the more
noteworthy when one remembers that even while she was fending off military rebels, she was also dealing
with a divided Cabinet—is noteworthy.

Aquino established an interim constitution in March 1986 and convened a commission to draft a new
constitution shortly after. As she faced ongoing criticism for economic inequality and political corruption,
she was unable to implement basic economic or social reforms. These issues were made worse by ongoing
conflict between the communist insurgency and a military whose allegiances to Aquino were ambiguous.
 Content Presentation and Analysis
The nation was saddled with a massive $26 billion foreign debt following the Marcos administration. Just
to pay the interest on such loan requires half of the much needed export profits. She pledged to repay
the loan that Marcos had stolen, saying, "We fought for honor, and, if only for honor, we shall pay"
President Aquino and President Reagan addressed her arduous efforts to support the democratic
institutions of her country, to ensure its security, and to boost its economy.

Moreover, it is claimed that despite carrying a sizable portion of the free world's Pacific defenses, the
Filipino people are subject to a communist insurgency that thrives on economic decline. These are just
two of the many burdens the people bear as they work to create a solid and long-lasting foundation for
their new democracy.

Cory Aquino was appalled and saddened by the situation in the nation; about two decades of social and
political oppression. Half of the export earnings, $2 billion out of $4 billion, which was all they could earn
in the constrictive markets of the world, went to pay just the interest on a debt whose benefit the Filipino
people never received.
 Significance to Philippine history
The speech of the former president Corazon
Aquino gives us the insights on how Filipinos
struggled to achieve freedom and between the
insisted resistance from the past has inspired
Filipino revolutionaries in our current era. After
the Marcos regime, the country was left with a
staggering amount of debt. Additionally, it
clarifies what actually occurred when Ninoy
Aquino was president. The challenges the
Aquinos underwent to aid the Philippines in
achieving freedom are detailed in the document.
The preceding administration before to Cory
Aquino's administration's debt was also
referenced in the text.
This speech also demonstrates the transition
from a dictatorship to a democratic system of
government. Down to its president's laws, order,
and regulations. The document also mentions
Ninoy Aquino's murder and the horror caused by
torture and imprisonment during Martial Law. It
also reveals the issues Cory Aquino faced as soon
as she took office, such as unemployment and
poverty. After Ninoy Aquino's passing, two
elections were referenced in the document. His
wife took part in the election and came in last in
the first round. She was elected president during
the second, which was a quick election, and
proclaimed democracy in the nation.
 Reflections and Realizations
RAE LOURDES LAUSA
Her speech takes part in the Philippine History
that show how Filipino people would do to
fight for freedom. In her speech it manifest the
experience of Filipino in the hands of the
military and to the dictatorship. I realized the
fact that democracy and freedom mattered to
us Filipino. We had a strong values and beliefs
that would not let the oppressors abuse the
rights and privilege in our country. The power
of protest motivate us and give importance to
the democracy.
RAVEN JOY GUINTO
The speech of President Cory Aquino
made me realize how the people back
then struggled to fight for democracy
during the time of the Marcos
dictatorship. I also realized in the
speech that it has to be someone who
will lead in order to achieve the things
they want. Also, reading the speech will
provide us with knowledge of what
really happened during the
dictatorship, and having this reliable
information and documentation about
it will help us never forget the sacrifices
made by others for our country.
 Reflections and Realizations
ALYSSA MAE PESINABLE
After watching the video and reading the speech of the
late President Cory Aquino, I realized how empowered
she is, and how she doesn't hesitate to speak out about
the experiences of his late husband, her family, and all
Filipinos throughout the martial law era. Her goal in
making this address is to support the Filipino people in
announcing the end of the dictatorship and the freedom
of our country. And it occurs to me that when you have
power, you must decide whether you will be blinded by it
and be arrogant toward your people, or whether you will
choose to be the leader they need and what they
deserve. In summary, despite its frustration and political
independence even when doing so puts their lives in
chaos, the struggling Philippines surely thrived because
all sacrifices made were made for the good of all, not just
for oneself which explains the EDSA revolution, the
Filipinos saved many lives by driving out the dictator and
the martial law.
TIFFANY SIANGCO
Given that fake news and biased stories are very
much rampant today, the speech is actually very
beneficial in understanding the great narrative of
Philippine history. Reading the document enables
me—and other readers, too—to see how vicious the
dictatorship's leaders were. This allows us to
understand how we managed to escape the
dictator's control and how everyone's bold and
concerted efforts improved the Philippines. This
moved me sincerely and made me understand how
courageous Filipinos are for fighting for our
danger. This brave act is still recognized and will
continue to be passed down to the next generation
owing to resources like these that memorialize such
bravery.
 Resources:
https://pcw.gov.ph/corazon-aquino/.
https://liberal-international.org/people/corazon-aquino/
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Corazon-Aquino
http://presidentcoryaquino.weebly.com/main.html
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1986/09/18/speech-of-president-corazon-aquino-during-the-joint-
session-of-the-u-s-congress-september-18-1986/
https://awpc.cattcenter.iastate.edu/2017/03/21/speech-before-the-joint-session-of-the-united-states-
congress-sept-18-1986/