Module 7 (3 hours)

Title: Speech of Corazon C. Aquino before the US Congress

Introduction:

The lesson requires the students to critically examine the speech of the former President
Corazon C. Aquino in the US Congress. To closely examine the content and context of the
speech you may ask yourself: For whom is she referring to on some part of her speech? How
is her administration different from the Marcos’ administration? Despite of her efforts to be
opposite of Marcos administration, what are their similarities based on her speech? How did
she view Marcos’ administration? How did she describe democracy before her presidency?
Did she commit any biases against Marcos? Do you agree on her proposition to pay the debt
of a dictatorship? what is her analysis on the Martial Law era? etc.
Learning Outcome:
To properly interpret the speech of Corazon C. Aquino delivered in the US Congress
through examining the content and context of the document.
Content:
Corazon C. Aquino functioned as the symbol of the restoration of democracy and the
overthrow of the Marcos Dictatorship in 1896. The EDSA People Power revolution, which
installed Cory Aquino in the Presidency, put the Philippines in the international spotlight for
overthrowing a dictator through a special means (Candelaria, et.al., 2018).
When Former President Aquino gave her speech to the US Congress on September
1986, a little more than half a year after assuming the presidency, she called on America to
help the Philippines in preserving the freedom which the Filipinos have won for themselves.
Calling to, “restore democracy by the ways of democracy,” she aggrandized the role of
America in the world as the promoter of a righteous system of governance and further
strengthened the reputation of said country as a model for greatness (Rodrigo, 2018)
When former President Corazon Aquino spoke before a joint session of the
United States Congress in September of 1986, the dust was only beginning to settle. It
was her first visit to America since the dictator Ferdinand Marcos had been deposed in
February of the same year, and the Philippines was reckoning with everything his
administration had inflicted. That included $26 billion in total foreign debt, and a
communist insurgency that grew, throughout the Marcos era, from 500 armed guerillas
to 16,000. 

We were just at the start of a long road to recovery. So Aquino lodged an appeal
for help. Addressing the House, she delivered a historic speech that managed to sway in
our favor the vote for an emergency $200-million aid appropriation. In the moving
speech penned by her speechwriter (and our current ambassador to the United Nations)
Teddy Locsin, Jr., Aquino defended her reconciliatory stand on the communist insurgency—a
sensitive issue in the U.S., given that this was 1986—and asked for financial aid towards
rebuilding the Philippine economy. (Escobar, 2018)

Here is the speech of the former President Corazon C. Aquino:

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bavnuT4RlU
Transcript: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/
Process Questions:
1. For whom is she referring to on some part of her speech?
2. How is her administration different from the Marcos’ administration?
3. Despite of her efforts to be opposite of Marcos administration, what are their
similarities based on her speech?
4. How did she view Marcos’ administration?
5. How did she describe democracy before her presidency?
6. Did she commit any biases against Marcos?
7. Do you agree on her proposition to pay the debt of a dictatorship?
8. What is her analysis on the Martial Law era?

Activity: Essay.

What are the differences of dictatorship and democracy? In your own words and idea, which is
more effective in ruling or governing a country, dictatorship or democracy? Discuss
comprehensively with examples.

Further Readings and Resources

1. EDSA People Power Revolution (https://www.philippine-history.org/edsa-people-
power-revolution.htm)
2. The Fall of the Dictatorship ( https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/the-fall-of-
the-dictatorship/)
3. Declaration of the Martial Law
(https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/declaration-of-martial-law/)
Strategy:
1. Content and context analysis of the Speech of former President Corazon Aquino.
2. Process their understanding with a class discussion.
3. Create a reaction paper.
Evaluation:
Create a reaction paper to Corazon C. Aquino’s Speech. You may accept or refute some
issues presented on the speech.
Scoring Rubric for Reflection Paper

Category Exemplary Superior Satisfactory Unsatisfactory

Depth Response Response Response Response
demonstrates an demonstrates a demonstrates a demonstrates a
in-depth general reflection minimal lack of reflection
reflection on the on the concepts. reflection on the on the concepts/
concepts. Viewpoints and concepts. Viewpoints and
 Viewpoints and interpretations are Viewpoints and interpretations
interpretations supported. interpretations are missing,
are insightful and are unsupported
well supported. or supported with inappropriate
flawed and/or
arguments. unsupported.
Structure Writing is clear, Writing is mostly Writing is Writing is
concise, and well clear, concise, and unclear and/or unclear and
organized with well organized disorganized. disorganized.
excellent with good Thoughts are not Thoughts ramble
sentence and sentence/paragraph expressed in a and make little
paragraph construction. logical manner. sense.
construction.
Thoughts are
Thoughts are expressed in a
fully expressed coherent and
in coherent and logical manner.
logical manner.
Quality of Response was Response was Response had a Response had no
Writing written in an written in an little style or style or voice.
extraordinary interesting style. voice.
style and voice.

Very Informative Somewhat Gives some new Gives no new

and well informative and information but information and
organized. organized. poorly organized. very poorly
organized.
Grammar, Almost no Few spelling and A number of So many spelling,
Punctuation spelling, punctuations errors spelling, punctuation and
and Spelling punctuation or and minor punctuation or grammatical
grammatical grammatical grammatical errors that
errors. errors. errors. interferes with
the meaning.
Sub Totals
Over-all-Score

References:
Candelaria, et.al. ,2018. Readings in the Philippine History. Rex Printing Company, Inc.
Manila, Philippines.
Ligan, et.al., 2018. Readings in the Philippine History. Mutya Publishing House, Inc.
Malabon City.
https://www.philippine-history.org/edsa-people-power-revolution.htm
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/the-fall-of-the-dictatorship/
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/featured/declaration-of-martial-law/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bavnuT4RlU
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://soapboxie.com/world-politics/A-Reaction-on-Cory-Aquinos-speech-to-the-US-
Congress