Content and Contextual Analysis of Primary Sources

CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL
ANALYSIS OF PRIMARY
SOURCES
Corazon Aquino, President Corazon Aquino’s Speech before
the U.S. Congress September 18, 1986
Background of the Speaker
Maria Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, popularity known as “CORY

AQUINO” (1933-2009)
 she was born on the 25th day of January in Tarlac.

 A daughter of Jose Cojuangco and Demetria Sumulong
 she was born into wealthy, politically prominent family based in Tarlac
 Spouse of Benigno Simeon Aquino Jr., who was then a promising young
politician
 she graduated from Mount St. Vincent College in New York City in 1954
 Served as the Eleventh President of the Philippines(1986-1992)
 Second and Last President of the Fourth Republic
 First President of the Fifth Republic
Was the most prominent figure of the 1986 People Power Revolution, which ended
the 20-year rule of President Ferdinand Marcos.
Emerged as the leader of the opposition after her husband was assassinated on 21
August 1983 upon returning to the Philippines from exile in the US.
 Aquino did not go into retirement in silence. Instead, she ran a nonviolence think
tank and regularly helped lead street demonstrations against the policies her
predecessors supported.
In 2008, she was diagnosed with colon cancer. And passed away on August 1, 2009.
Background of the
Speech
Speech of President Corazon Aquino during the Joint Session of the U.S.
Congress, September 18,1986
 Time written: assumed between April-September
 Time Delivered: September 18, 19867 months after the EDSA revolution (Feb
25,1986)3 years after the assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino (1983)
 Place Written: Philippines
Place Delivered: Washington DC, U.S. Congress
 Situation of that time: the Philippines is 7 months free from the martial
law era that lasted for 14 years.
Intent of the speech:
 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
Philippines’ state.
Perspective:
 As a victim of Marcos’ cruel regime.
 As the faithful wife of Senator Benigno Aquino.
 As the People’s Champion.
 As the Mother of Asian Democracy.
Content analysis/presentation
 President Aquino focused her attention and energy to revitalize and rejuvenate
the sagging economy. One of her boldest moves was to dismantle the various
monopolies that were perpetrated by Marcos during his stay in power.
 As former President Corazon Aquino spoke in September 1986 before a joint
session of the United States Congress, the dust had just started to settle.
 This was her first visit to America following the overthrow of the tyrant
Ferdinand Marcos in February of the same year and the Philippines was
grappling with all that his government had caused.
 This included a cumulative foreign debt of $26 billion, and a communist insurgency
this grew from 500 armed guerrillas to 16,000 during Marcos period. We were just at
the beginning of a long regeneration path.
 So Aquino asked for assistance. She delivered a landmark speech addressing the
House that helped to swing the vote for a $200-million emergency aid bill in our favor.
 Teddy Locsin, Jr., in a touching speech written by her speechwriter (and our new UN
ambassador). Aquino defended her reconciliatory stand on the Communist insurgency
a delicate topic in the U.S., given that it was in 1986 and demanded financial assistance
to restore the Philippine economy.
 "We fought for freedom, and we're going to pay, if only for respect," she said, promising to settle the
debt that Marcos took. "And still, will we have to write the payments out of the sweat of our men's
faces and sink all the riches gathered up by the two hundred and fifty years of unrequited labor of the
bondman?“
 The speech was impassioned, deeply personal, and effective; with applause interrupted 11 times, and
with standing ovations bookended. House spokesperson Tip O'Neill called it "the best speech I've
ever heard in Congress in my 34 years.“
 Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole told her, "Cory, you've hit a home run." And House Minority
Whip Trent Lott said, "Actually say the moment's passion has saved the day.
This will go down as one of the finest discourses of the former President in the annals of our nation.
Relevance of the historical source
• In economic views, it is useful in some instances as it was stated in the speech of

Corazon Aquino, demanded financial assistance to restore the Philippine economy.
• furthermore, in political views, it was marked a new beginning for the Filipinos and to
its government. And Corazon Aquino functioned as the symbol of the restoration of
democracy and the overthrow of the Marcos Dictatorship in 1986.
• And for all the Filipino people, to know on how the period of Corazon fought for
freedom from the Marcos regime. And also how Corazon Aquino rejuvenate the
sagging economy in her power, which was happen during the period of Marcos.

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CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL

Maria Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, popularity known as “CORY

 she was born on the 25th day of January in Tarlac.

• In economic views, it is useful in some instances as it was stated in the speech of

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