Scribd
Upload
3K views19 pages

Empowering The Underrepresented

The document discusses issues faced by workers in the Philippines, noting that while the Labor Code aims to protect their rights, many still experience unfair labor practices and abuse from powerful companies prioritizing profits over worker safety. It provides an example through a letter describing poor working conditions, lack of safety equipment, and exploitation of workers at a shipping company, with the wealthy owner spending lavishly while treating employees like slaves. The narrator calls for assistance in addressing these injustices faced by marginalized laborers.

Uploaded by

Girlie Maureen Jayme
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
3K views19 pages

Empowering The Underrepresented

The document discusses issues faced by workers in the Philippines, noting that while the Labor Code aims to protect their rights, many still experience unfair labor practices and abuse from powerful companies prioritizing profits over worker safety. It provides an example through a letter describing poor working conditions, lack of safety equipment, and exploitation of workers at a shipping company, with the wealthy owner spending lavishly while treating employees like slaves. The narrator calls for assistance in addressing these injustices faced by marginalized laborers.

Uploaded by

Girlie Maureen Jayme
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 19

EMPOWERING THE

UNDERREPRESENTED:
The Testimonio
Testimonio is a fundamentally democratic and egalitarian
form of narrative in the sense that it implies any life so
narrated that can have a kind of representational value
The learners are expected to:

◦Describe the testimonio as a creative non-fiction


◦Analyze a sample testimonial narrative
◦Express his/her opinion on the content of a testimonial
narrative; and
◦Find news articles a preliminary exercise for writing a
testimonio
TESTIMONIO OR TESTIMONIAL
NARRATIVE

◦New literary genre


◦Originated in Latin America
◦Shares some characteristics with autobiography as it is
written in 1ST POV.
TESTIMONIO VS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

TESTIMONIO AUTOBIOGRAPHY
◦Author’s experiences of ◦Revolves around the
marginality and personal development
oppression of the author or
accomplishments
TESTIMONIO

◦ Does not measure up to the standards of “academic” communication


and canonical literature because it is more concerned with their
purpose – to call public attention to lived experiences of marginality –
than with modernist literary aesthetics.
◦ One popular example is Rigoberta Menchu.
Rigoberta
Menchu
• Guatemalan woman who
shared her abusive
experiences by agents of
Guatamelan US-supported
government.
• The book garnered
recognition to stop human
rights in Latin America.
• She was awarded the Nobel
Prize for Peace and become
one of the youngest persons
to receive the award
Pre-reading
◦In your own opinion, what is the general condition of
workers in the Philippines? Is their condition improving?
Why or why not?
Cultural Historical Background
◦Workers are said to be the lifeblood of the society.
Considering the pivotal role that workers play in a society,
there should be mechanisms to ensure their rights are upheld.
The Labor Code is the primary legal document concerning
the rights and welfare of Filipino workers.
Cultural Historical Background
◦It has undergone several revisions in order to keep workers’
rights in sync with the changing times. Nonetheless, there are
still cases of unfair labor practice, in which the rule of profit
seems to take precedence over workers’ rights.
Cultural Historical Background
◦The Labor Code does not have within its scope the welfare
of the swelling ranks of Filipino workers overseas. In any
case, Filipino should be vigilant about their welfare and
rights. They may report work-related abuse to NGOs and
other groups concerning the welfare of workers.
A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE
By: ATILLA ROMA
VOCABULARY BUILDING

1. The presence of the president in the company’s anniversary


celebration sent shivers down to our spine.
a. caused worry
b. caused happiness
c. caused anger
2. Because of the company’s owner wealth and
influence, the poor workers considered the company as
a formidable enemy.
a. influential
b. strong
c. fearsome
3. The narrative details how the rights of the workers
were trampled on.
a. supported
b. violated
c. maintained
4. The workers would pint the hull of the ship without
proper equipment.
a. sail
b. motor
c. body
QUESTIONS
1. What is the company mentioned in the letter?
2. Who was the guest of honor in the company’s anniversary
celebration?
3. According to the letter, what was the reason for the
accidents in the workplace?
4. Why does the narrator claim that the company in question
is influential?
5. Explain the following passage: That the owner can spend
excessively on such occasions, spending cold cash for food and wine, among
others, while his workers are treated almost like slaves is beyond me.
What does it suggest about the company’s attitude towards the
workers?

6. Why did the narrator choose to work in Konjata?


7. What were the different abuses experience by the workers?

8. If the workers decided to file charge against the company,


would they win the struggle? Why or why not? How effective
is the judicial system when it comes to worker’ rights?

You might also like