MODULE 4: Literature of Asia

UNIT 4: The Filipino is Worth Dying for

Name: Juan Justin Doctor-Gonzales_____________________ Date: December 5, 2021

Year/Course/Section: 3 BS International Relations-A Score: ____________________
Professor: Princess Fairuz Kale Kalantongan-Mangoba

Exercise 1. Answer the following questions about the speech The Filipino is
Worth Dying for by Benigno Aquino Jr.

1. Has the Philippines become a much better country with Marcos gone?
If yes, cite some tangible improvements in the country. If not, analyze
the Filipino psyche. What is wrong?

The Philippines did not become a better country after the downfall of
Ferdinand Marcos since the country today continues to suffer from the
billions worth of debt that Marcos accumulated and plundered, the
egregious human rights violations he sanctioned during Martial Law, and
including his bastardization of the Philippine democratic institutions. After
his term, Corazon Aquino faced the challenges of having to deal with
insurgencies from the right and the left, a large foreign debt,
an infrastructure in decay, a severe energy crisis that produced daily
electricity outages, and the troubles of a population which half of whom
lived in extreme poverty. Nonetheless, during the administration of Fidel
Ramos, peace was somehow restored and negotiated with the military
rebels and the different insurgencies. The administration also remedied the
energy crisis and proceeded to create a hospitable environment for
economic recovery in which a more open market was established through a
series of macroeconomic reforms. However, the scenarios during the
Marcos regime suggest one solid fact: Ferdinand Marcos effectively stole the
Filipino people’s futures by ushering the country in a full-blown debt crisis
and much lower income trajectory.

2. What values should the Filipino discard and what values should be
embraced to make the Philippines a much better country?

It cannot be denied that some Filipinos are not exercising their right
to vote and some are not keen enough to know the candidates and their
platforms. These vile behaviors and values must be discarded since they
 hinder the Philippine society to have competent leaders who can be the
source of great reform and change. It appears to me that all Filipinos must
vote and must cultivate values concerning suffrage because voting is not
just simply our right; it is our power. Voting represents the power of all
citizens to keep the government system working and it is a privilege that
every citizen should realize. Filipinos must understand that our
participation in choosing the right and deserving leader really means a lot
to our present and future generations. Moreover, suffrage is considered as
our political responsibility and this is something that we should not waste.
Hence, we should take this matter seriously and we should be wise in order
to elect worthy leaders who are capable of saving our nation and the
Filipinos from various societal problems.

3. What is Ninoy’s place in the Philippine history? What did he contribute

to the betterment of the country?

Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. is one of the most respected leaders in

the Philippine society because he was the chief opposition leader during the
period of martial law in the Philippines under the former
President Ferdinand Marcos. Ninoy’s assassination in August 21, 1983,
sparked popular opposition to the Marcos government and brought his
wife, Corazon Aquino, to the forefront of political arena. Moreover, the
assassination of Ninoy provoked significant protests, with many accusing
the Marcos administration. In October 1984, an independent panel found
that the assassination was carried out by a military conspiracy directed by
the Philippine armed forces chief of staff, Gen. Fabian Ver. In 1985, three
Marcos-appointed judges acquitted Ver and 25 other suspected scheme
members of these accusations. However, that decision helped to set in
motion the chain of events that culminated in Marcos’s downfall and
Corazon Aquino’s rise to power in 1986. In other words, Ninoy’s death
paved way for the Philippine society to regain its independence from the
authoritarian leadership of Marcos.

4. Are Filipinos still worth dying for? If yes, give specific reasons why
Filipinos are still worth dying for. If no, explain your answer.

Based on my observations, it appears to me that Filipinos are still

worth dying for especially during this time of health crisis. Filipinos in the
 medical profession, as well as logistics, education, aviation, agriculture, local
government, and other fields are risking their lives for the sake of another
Filipino. We cannot ignore the reality that there are Filipinos out there who
are driven and passionate when it comes to their jobs. Every time I am
surfing the internet, I am always fascinated with those stories about the
kindness and dedication of those Filipinos who are always ready to offer a
helping hand to those who are in need. It is very inspiring to know that the
excerpt of Benigno Aquino, Jr. “The Filipino Is Worth Dying for” is still alive
and well today. Apart from that, it is heartwarming to know that there are
many Filipinos who still believe that other Filipinos are still worth dying for
despite the fact that they themselves are not aware of Ninoy’s words.

Exercise 2: What do you propose that the youth today must do in order to help
make Philippines, then the world, much better?

I would propose that the youth should register to their nearest

Commission on Elections (COMELEC) office and that voting during election
must be compulsory. Many of the Filipinos especially the youth are not
aware of their political and social responsibilities to the extent they do not
appreciate their rights and privileges. Election is an opportunity for us to
practice our freedom, our right, and our democracy. Moreover, it is in this
event that the future of our country lies. Thus, it appears to me that the youth
must vote and must cultivate values concerning suffrage because voting is
not just simply our right; it is our power. Voting represents the power of all
citizens to keep the government system working and it is a privilege that
every Filipino citizen should realize. We should always engrave in our minds
that our right to vote increases our social awareness while empowering us
to cooperate in political and social activities. Through these activities, we
can follow the progress of our nation that enables the general population to
make educated choices. With this, let us do our duties to create our ripples
of change and let us have our index finger inked as a sign that we have used
our power wisely, because it is truly empowering to play a part in shaping
our country’s present and future generations.