Revisiting Cory Aquino’s
Speech Before the U.S.
Congress
WHO IS CORY AQUINO?
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MARIA CORAZON “CORY” COJUANGCO AQUINO
January 25, 1933 – August 1, 2009
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CORAZON “CORY” AQUINO
◉ Philippine Political Leader — the
first female president in the
Philippines. (1986–1992)
◉ Came from the rich haciendero
family — the Cojuangco Family
◉ Widow of the late former Senator
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
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BENIGNO SIMEON AQUINO
◉ BORN:November 27, 1932,
Tarlac
◉ DIED: August 21, 1983, Manila
◉ He is the chief opposition leader
during the era of martial law in
the Philippines (1972–81) under
Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos.
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CORAZON “CORY” AQUINO
◉ Antithesis of the dictator
◉ Functioned as the symbol of
restoration of democracy and
the overthrow of the Marcos
Dictatorship in 1986.
◉ The EDSA People Power,
installed Cory Aquino in the
Presidency.
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THE EDSA PEOPLE POWER REVOLUTION
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◉ Was widely recognized around the world for its peaceful
character.
◉ The 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution gathered
millions of Filipinos from all walks of life to march
along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), the main
artery of Metro Manila, to end the the dictatorship of the
President Ferdinand E. Marcos and begin a new era
marked by a true freedom and democracy.
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What happened
to EDSA
People Power
Revolution?
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AUGUST 21, 1983
◉ Former Senator Ninoy Aquino was shot at the tarmac of
the Manila International Airport.
Marcos regime suffered from:
◉ Crisis of legitimacy
◉ Marcos’ credibility in the international community also
suffered
◉ Looming economic crisis
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FEBRUARY 7, 1986
◉ President Ferdinand Marcos called for a Snap Election.
SNAP ELECTION
◉ It is an election that is called earlier than the one that has
been scheduled.
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FEBRUARY 22, 1986
◉ Start of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
JAIME CARDINAL SIN
◉ Archbishop of Manila
◉ Encouraged the people to march and gather in EDSA to
oust Marcos.
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The overwhelming presence of the civilians in EDSA
successfully turn a coup into a civilian demonstration.
COUP
◉ A sudden, violent, and illegal seizure of power from
a government.
CIVILIAN DEMONSTRATION
◉ A peaceful and non-obstructive civil protest.
◉ Form of an organized public demonstration of
disapproval or display of disagreement with an idea
or course of action.
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The thousands of people who gathered overthrew Ferdinand
Marcos from the presidency after 21 years.
FEBRUARY 25, 1986
◉ End of the EDSA People Power Revolution.
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SEPTEMBER 18, 1986
◉ Cory went to United States and spoke before the joint
session in the U.S. Congress.
◉ She addressed the United States about her presidency,
and
◉ The challenges faced by the new republic.
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CORY AQUINO’s SPEECH
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◉ Cory began her speech with the story of her leaving the
United States three years prior as a newly widowed wife of
Ninoy Aquino.
◉ In her speech, she then told Ninoy’s character, conviction,
and resolve in opposing the authoritarianism of Marcos. She
talked of the three times that they lost Ninoy.
1. When Ninoy was detained with other dissenters.
2. When ninoy decided to do a hunger strike and fasted
for 40 days.
3. Ninoy was assassinated.
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◉ Cory talked about her miraculous victory through the people's
struggle and continued talking about her earliest initiatives as
the president of a restored democracy.
❖ Emphasized the importance of the EDSA Revolution
in terms of being a “limited revolution” that
respected the life and freedom of every Filipino.
❖ Restoration of a fully constitutional government
whose constitution gave utmost respect to the Bill of
Rights.
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◉ Cory then proceeded on her peace agenda with the existing
communist insurgency, aggravated by the dictatorial and
authoritarian measure of Ferdinand Marcos.
❖ Her peace agenda involves:
➢ Political initiatives
➢ Reintegration programs
◉ Cory then turned to the controversial topic of the Philippine
foreign debt amounting to $26 billion at the time of her
speech.
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◉ Cory related to the U.S legislators that wherever she went,
she met a poor and unemployed Filipinos willing to offer
their lives for democracy.
◉ Cory proceeded in enumerating the challenges of the
Filipino people as they tried building the new democracy.
◉ Cory ended her speech by thanking America for serving as
home to her family for what she referred to as the "three
happiest years of our lives together."
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THE ANALYSIS OF CORY
AQUINO’s SPEECH
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CORY’S SPEECH
◉ An important event in the political and diplomatic history of the
country.
◉ It has arguably cemented the legitimacy of EDSA government in
the international arena.
◉ The speech talks about:
❖ The background of her family.
❖ Ninoy’s toil and suffering at the hands of the
dictatorship that he resisted.
❖ The ideology of the new democratic government.
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Cory’s parallelisms between Marcos’ government:
◉ Continuing the alliance between the Philippines and
United States.
◉ Implemented an essentially similar foreign policy to
that of the dictatorship.
◉ Her government’s intention to carry on a debt-driven
economy.
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