LESSON 7: SPEECH OF PRESIDENT CORAZON
C. AQUINO BEFORE THE JOINT SESSION OF
THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS. SEPTEMBER
18, 1986
Historical context
 The gradual downfall of the dictatorial regime of
Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos
-began with the assassination of Sen. Benigno
“Ninoy” Aquino Jr. (Aug. 21, 1983)
 The murder of Ninoy Aquino
- set in motion a series of events that destabilized
the Marcos Administration
1. Protests and rallies
2. The Philippine economy began to falter
3. Rumors continued to circulate that Marcos
was sick
 Following the opinions by the U.S. government that
he was losing the mandate of the Filipino people,
Marcos announced on American and local
television that he would hold a snap presidential
election
- it was decided that Ninoy’s widow, Corazon
Aquino, would run as president with opposition
leader, Salvador Laurel as her running mate
- the snap election proved to be a farce
- there was rampant cheating and violence that
resulted in numerous casualties
- Marcos’ allies at the Batasang Pambansa
declared him the winner of the election
- in protest, Aquino called for a nationwide
boycott of products of business that supported
Marcos
- other anti-Marcos groups vowed to continue
the protests
 On February 22, Marcos’ defense minister Juan
Ponce Enrile and the Armed Forces of the
Philippines Vice-Chief of Staff Gen. Fidel Ramos,
announced their defection from the Marcos
government
- Led to four-day People Power Revolution,
where civilians faced tanks and soldiers to
protect the soldiers and officers who defied the
Marcos regime
- Marcos eventually was flown to Hawaii where
he lived in exile
- Aquino was sworn into office as President of
the Philippines
 Pres. Aquino began to lead the country that had
been badly damaged economically by the Marcos
regime
 In September 1986, she went on a state visit to the
United States where she spoke before the U.S.
Congress to ask for financial aid to the Philippines
and conferred with Pres. Ronald Reagan
- She also met with the American businessmen to
convince them to invest in the Philippines
- The nine-day visit was deemed to a success by
Filipino and American newsmen
About the Speaker
 Maria Corazon “Cory” Cojuangco Aquino
- born on January 25, 1933 to a wealthy and
politically prominent family in Tarlac
- she graduated from Mount St. Vincent College
in New City in 1954
- she married a popular young politician,
Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.
- she lived a life of a politician’s wife, remaining
in the background and raising their family of
five children while her husband’s career as a
prominent opposition politician grew during the
Marcos administration
- she stood by her husband when he was arrested
and imprisoned for eight years (1972-1980) by
Pres. Marcos after martial law was declared in
1972
- she accompanied her husband to the United
States where he lived in exile for three years
after he was released to get medical treatment
 Corazon was thrust into the limelight when
Ninoy was assassinated in 1983
- She became part of the growing opposition to
the Marcos dictatorship which culminated in
her presidential candidacy for a united
opposition in the snap elections of 1986
- Cory challenged the results of the election by
calling for a boycott of all industries of Marcos
cronies, when she lost the election because of
massive cheating
- It was not long before military officials
publicly renounced Marcos and supported Cory
as the duly elected president
- The four-day People Power Revolution in
February 1986 ended the Marcos dictatorship
and propelled Cory as the first Filipino woman
president
 The Cory Administration became known for its
restoration of Philippine democracy
- A new constitution was written and a Congress
was soon elected
- But the euphoria of the newly-restored freedom
did not last as the Aquino administration failed
to enforce social and economic reforms
 - The problems of peace and order especially
with the communist insurgency continued
- The government was also dealing with rightist
elements in the military that led to several
attempted coups.

 Cory was succeeded to the presidency by her

former Armed Forces Chief of Staff and Defense
Secretary Fidel Ramos in 1992

 In January 1987, Cory Aquino was named the

TIME Magazine’s 1986 Person of the Year

 She returned to the limelight in 2001 supporting the

impeachment of Pres. Joseph Estrada
- EDSA 2

 In 2006, she was listed in the TIME Magazine’s

issue called “60 Years of Asian Heroes”

 She died on August 1, 2009

About the Speech

 Pres. Aquino was invited to speak before the joint

session of the U.S. Congress seven months after she
assumed office

 Teodoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin Jr., Cory’s executive

secretary- was tasked to write Cory’s speech
- In an interview years later, he admitted that he
was unable to finish it in time for the occasion,
thus it was Cory who finished the draft and it
was the speech that she delivered
- It ran for half an hour and was interrupted by
several applauses and ended with a standing
ovation by both the senators and congressmen

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