Name: John Mark N.

Lubong Course and Section: BSCE-1B

Instructor: Suzzane Adelle H. Pascual Subject Course: GEC RPH 004

UNIT 2
CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS

ACTIVITY 1: SEEK FOR THE REASONS

Attached to this activity are the copies of the three (3) historical documents provided
below.
a. First Voyage Around the World by Antonio Pigafetta
b. Speech of President Corazon Aquino Before the Joint Session of the United States
Congress, September 18, 1986
c. Kartilya ng Katipunan
Choose one from the three (3) historical documents, thereafter, assess the document you
chose through the content/textual analysis and contextual analysis. Please put your answer
in the textbox provided. Avoid passing collaborative links.
Please be guided by the following questions:

Speech of President Corazon Aquino Before the Joint Session of the United States Congress,
September 18, 1986

[For content analysis]

1. What is the document all about?
ANSWER: The document details Senator Ninoy Aquino's execution and subsequent suffering,
as well as the number of times the Aquino family has lost a pillar of their home and their feelings
of loss, fear for their safety, and government threats during that time. Furthermore, the document
recounts President Cory Aquino's journey through the presidency, including the reasons for her
candidacy, her goals, and her aspiration to become President of the Philippines. President Cory
Aquino's document, or speech, also declares Filipinos' liberation from the Marcos administration.
To commemorate a new beginning for Filipinos and the Philippine government, and especially to
seek for financial aid by informing Americans about the Philippines' current situation.
2. How are the thoughts and facts presented?
ANSWER:
Her first remark shows her grief at her husband's death, but she also claims that her husband's
murder pushed the country to believe in democracy. Several more paragraphs address the
problems they had throughout their lives, including the three times they lost Ninoy, the dictator's
harsh attempts to break Ninoy, but Ninoy's brave stand and how the traitor shattered democracy.
She described the revolution that brought her peacefully to power as president from the
standpoint of the "people's champion." Filipinos, she said, are people who are willing to do
anything to attain democracy.
She explained how democracy was established in the most challenging of conditions, as well
as her plans to restore democracy and constitutional government. She finally brought up the
billion-dollar foreign debt, saying that the Filipinos would fulfill it even if they had not received
any benefits. She appealed to the audience once more by reaffirming the Filipinos' national
commitment despite the numerous challenges and problems they have recently faced and
continue to face, citing it as a key reason why the United States should provide financial
assistance to the country that fought for their own independence.
The speech's objective is unclear, but it initially appeared to be a story about the difficulties
that the Filipinos and Cory's family faced. It is incoherent in the sense that it has too many
scattered elements, such as citing Ninoy, defaming Marcos, and so on, all of which lead to one
simple core point: seeking financial assistance. She also lacked statistical and numerical
evidence as to why the Philippines requires financial assistance. When she could have been more
accurate and objective, she focused more on telling a story, appealing to emotions, and selling
the Filipinos as nationalistic people to appeal for aid.

[For context analysis]

1. What does the text reveal about itself as a text?
ANSWER: Basically, Philippine President Corazon Aquino delivers a historic address to the
U.S. Congress in an English medium or language since her audiences or listeners are mostly
delegates, politicians, and members of Congress in the U.S. Moreover, the document also
consists of storytelling, narrating experiences and addressing the situation and issues in the
Philippines. President Cory Aquino's utilized language is very clear and conveys accurate,
informative, and persuasive speech, as well as concrete and comprehensive words.
2. What does the text tell us about its apparent intended audience(s)?
ANSWER: Because the primary source, President Cory Aquino's speech, was delivered in
English, the author appears to have assumed that her audience could understand English. Anyone
who is interested in what transpired at the event and wants to be informed and enlightened is the
intended audience or readers of the document.
3. What seems to have been the author’s intention? Why did the author write this text? And why
did the author write this text in this way, as opposed to other ways in which the text might have
been written?
ANSWER: The author's intention is to demonstrate the value of democracy not only in our
political system but also in our society. The speech serves as a reminder that granting total
authority to the wrong person will result in widespread abuse and corruption in his
administration. Furthermore, by informing the rest of the world about the obstacles that the
Filipinos encountered as well as one of their most significant times in history. The speaker, or
author, wanted to inform the audience by narrating personal experiences and bringing up
Philippine issues and situations. Furthermore, the speaker hoped to persuade the audience by
informing the rest of the world about the obstacles that the Filipinos encountered as well as one
of their most significant times in history, in order to seek monetary aid and support from
Americans, as well as establish ties with other countries.
4. What is the occasion for this text?
ANSWER: The United States Congress held a joint session to provide financial assistance to the
Philippines. The Philippines' President, Corazon Aquino, delivered a historic speech to the to the
U.S. Congress on September 18, 1986, in Washington, D.C.
5. Is the text intended as some sort of call to – or for – action?
ANSWER: President Corazon Aquino's main objective is to seek financial assistance in the U.S.
by informing the American and U.S. congress about the Philippine situation. Essentially, the
speaker intended to draw the attention of the United States Congress and delegates in order to
take action to aid the Philippines' recovery and to provide financial assistance.
6. Is the text intended rather as some sort of call to – or for – reflection or consideration rather
than direct action?
ANSWER: Yes, definitely. The reason for that is that President Corazon Aquino focuses more
on narrating experiences, appealing to emotions, citing Ninoy, and defaming Marcos rather than
being objective and direct in action. The speaker wanted to enlighten and inform the audience
about what Filipinos went through during the administration of Marcos and about the status of
the Philippines at that time for the U.S. congress and delegates to empathize and sympathize with
President Corazon Aquino and the Philippines in order to gain financial support and deal with
the foreign debt and grassroots insurrection of the Philippines.
7. Can we identify any non-textual circumstances that affected the creation and reception of the
text?
ANSWER: Yes, since the speaker delivered a historic speech and was influenced by political
events. Based on the document, the first part of the speech or document is about personal life and
narrates experiences of the Aquino family and Ninoy. In addition, the speaker also includes in
her speech her journey through the presidency as well as the issues and problems of the
Philippines and what Filipinos went through during Marcos’ regime. In the last part of her
speech, she also mentioned an economic factor, which is the export earnings of the Philippines
and its foreign debt.