Readings in Phil History L1-2 PDF

**LESSON 1 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY** **Unit 1 -- Meaning and Relevance of History** **Meaning of History** History covers all aspects of society such as social, political, economic, cultural, religious, moral, scientific, and technological developments that undergo change over time. It is widely...

**LESSON 1 INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY** **Unit 1 -- Meaning and Relevance of History** **Meaning of History** History covers all aspects of society such as social, political, economic, cultural, religious, moral, scientific, and technological developments that undergo change over time. It is widely understood as the "study of the past". As Robert James Shafer puts it, history refers to the actual events in the past; to the records of past events; and to the discipline or field of study, both as an art and a social science (Sebastian, Manguera, and Rosales, 2014). But what the historians do is more than that as they "make sense of the past". They are backed up with theoretical approaches and are empirically engaged to acquire an objective understanding of the past and how it is linked to the present and future societal conditions. Etymologically, history came from the Greek word historia which means "knowledge acquired through inquiry or investigation". In Latin, historia means "account of the past of a person or group through written documents and historical evidences". Traditionally, historians belie ved that the presence of documents made the study of history possible. But as history progressed, historians learned to recognize that historical evidences were not limited to written documents and to embrace the existence of oral traditions or stories passed by the word of mouth. Non-written evidences such as artifacts or any form of material culture were also regarded as a helpful tool in a historical investigation (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). In the Filipino context, "history" is equivalent to two Filipino words: "Historya" in Spanish (Historia) and "Kasaysayan" in Tagalog. The word "historya" came from the word "story" or "narrative" while the word "kasaysayan" has the root words "salaysay" (story or narrative) and "saysay" (sense or meaning). That is how the great Filipino historian, Zeus Salazar, dissected the term (Ocampo, n.d.). Thus, we can define "Kasaysayan" as "pag-aaral ng mga salaysay na may saysay" (study of sensible/meaningful stories/narratives). Stories should be meaningful primarily to the people involved in the events. In the case of Philippine history, it should focus on the Filipinos and not on the colonizers. For Zeus Salazar, Philippine history has its root in culture, consciousness and orientation of the early Filipinos (Sebastian, Manguera, and Rosales, 2014). Like other social science disciplines, the focal point in history is the individual. In history, it is necessary to study the connection of individual to time/period and place when and where an event took place. More so, other elements such as society, development, and nature should be emphasized as factors creating stimulus that people respond to. Putting together these elements makes the individual an active creator of history (Sebastian, Manguera, and Rosales, 2014). **Significance of History** Cognitively, history allows our minds to discover the experiences of people and societal events especially those that took place prior to our existence. It guides us as we grasp the connections between historical periods and the antecedent-consequent or cause-effect relationship of events. History establishes our national identity by tracing the root of our race and identifying the cultural components the bind people together. In addition, the heroes who stood up for the country after all their struggles remind us of the spirit of nationalism and patriotism. Thus, it is a challenge to the Filipinos of today on how they can create experiences that will uphold honor of country and of being a Filipino. **Unit 2 -- Historical Sources** **Historiography** A number of inquiries confront historians as they deal with the data gathered from investigations and researches. The answers to these questions are carefully formulated with the aid of historiography. Historiography is simply defined as the "history of history". It is concerned with how historical texts are written, the writer of the texts, the context of the texts' publication, methods employed, source used, theories and perspectives applied, and others (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). One concern that challenges historians is the objectivity in dealing with historical facts, sources and evidences. It even becomes more complicated as they interpret the historical facts towards the production of a historical truth without allowing their biases and subjectivity influence throughout the process. History must remain a scientific inquiry. Therefore, historians apply the appropriate methodologies and approaches to at least minimize the inevitable subjectivity as they conduct a research or investigation. Historical methodology includes techniques and rules for the proper utilization of historical sources and evidences in writing history. It helps the historians in dealing with conflicting accounts, different sources, and treating eyewitness accounts and oral sources (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). As for the Philippine historiography, approaches have changed throughout the time. During the precolonial times, history was in the form of oral traditions like folklores, epics, and myths that were centered on the natives' struggles and adventures, values, collective views, and worldview. However, oral history of the natives was overlooked when the Spaniards came with their historia focused on their religious missions and colonial government. Contextualizing history as a science limited the engagement of ordinary people in the production of history. Instead, the responsibility was assumed by friars, Spanish officials, and outsiders whose works were far from the natives' understanding of their lives and community. In the middle of the 19th century, the ilustrados (educated Filipinos) like Rizal, del Pilar, Jaena, and other propagandists attempted to write the history of the Philippines from the point of view of the Filipinos. Even the revolutionaries like Bonifacio and Jacinto also made an attempt of writing a national history to unite the Filipinos using the concept of "Bayang Katagalugan" referring to the nation instead of "Bansang Pilipinas" (Sebastian, Manguera, and Rosales, 2014). When the World War II was about to end, culture became the parameter in interpreting history which paved way to the introduction of new methodologies and interpretations like local history. On the latter part of 1960s, archaeological and anthropological studies were utilized to produce history. Also, political history written by Filipino and foreign historians came into being. After the EDSA Revolution, the Filipino historians aimed to popularize the history discourse and suggested that Filipino should be used as the medium of writing history. One of the Filipino historians who had a great contribution during this period was Zeus Salazar with his "Pantayong Pananaw". As a discourse, it primarily relied on the use of Filipino culture and Filipino equivalence of foreign concepts to understand history. Thus, the use of Filipino as medium of writing and of Filipino concepts should be the practice of Filipino historians (Sebastian, Manguera, and Rosales, 2014). The progress of Philippine historiography continued as new methods, approaches, and themes in the study of history were introduced by Filipino historians. Thus, it would be easy for the students to have a better grasp of history and of the context that enthuses the creation of history. **Historical Sources** Generally, historical sources are classified into two: primary sources and secondary sources. The primary sources are the original materials produced at the same time as the event, period, or subject being studied (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). These can be written like diaries, journals, memoirs, autobiographies, letters, news articles, official documents, speeches, government records, and eyewitness accounts. There are also unwritten forms such as artifacts (fossils, relics, memorabilia, and the likes), and oral history or stories from the eyewitness testimony. On the other hand, secondary sources are created using the primary sources to study a particular historical subject. Examples of secondary sources are textbooks, encyclopedias, reviews, commentaries, and essays. However, classifying the sources whether it is primary or secondary is relative not to the type of source or period when it was produced but to the subject of historical research (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). For example, if you are writing a paper about the book, True Version of Philippine Revolution written by Emilio Aguinaldo, the book itself is your primary source. But if you use other reference such as a critical essay about the book, that essay is considered as a secondary source because it was already interpreted by someone else. Not all historical sources are authentic and credible. Thus, historians conduct criticism especially of the primary sources to achieve the historical truth and true and correct conclusions. Olden-Jørgensen (1998) and Thurén (1997), Scandinavian historians, formulated the following principles of historical source criticism. 1. Human sources can be in the form of relics (e.g. fingerprint) or narratives. Relics are more credible than narratives. 2. The stronger the indications of originality is, the more reliable the source is. 3. A source can provide an accurate historical description if it is closer to the event which it aims to describe. 4. A primary source is more reliable than a secondary source which is more reliable than a tertiary source, and so on. 5. Independent sources with the same message increase the credibility of the message. 6. Tendencies of the source for providing biases should be minimized. 7. The message of the source becomes more credible if the source does not show direct interest in creating bias. Two types of criticism are usually employed in verifying the authenticity and truthfulness of a source. In using the external criticism, historians examine the physical characteristics; consistency of the time when the source was produced with its historical characteristic; and materials used for the evidence to validate the source's authenticity and origin. For instance, one can verify a document by critically looking at the quality or type of paper and ink, and the language or words used. The examination of the truthfulness and reliability of the evidence is done through internal criticism. It scrutinizes the content of the source, its context, the purpose of its production or the motive of the author, and the author himself/herself (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). Garraghan suggests the following inquiries to practice both external and internal criticisms. The first five questions encompass the external criticism while the last question is the internal criticism 1. When was the source, written or unwritten, produced (date)? 2. Where was it produced (localization)? 3. By whom was it produced (authorship)? 4. From what pre-existing material was it produced (analysis)? 5. In what original form was it produced (integrity)? 6. What is the evidential value of its contents (credibility)? Another easier and guided way of analyzing a primary source is by using the six Cs which stand for: 1. Content -- This includes the details describing the source or the main idea conveyed by the source. 2. Citation -- It consists of the author/creator of the source and the period when the source was created. 3. Context -- It is about the events that happened in the world, country, region, or locality when the source was created. 4. Connections -- This requires prior knowledge related to the source so that it can be linked to the source or content of the source. 5. Communication -- It determines the reliability of the source as it presents the point of view of the author/creator of the source. 6. Conclusions -- It tells the contribution of the source to one's understanding of history. **LESSON 2 CONTENT AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF A PRIMARY SOURCE** **Unit 1 -- First Voyage around the World, by Magellan** Not all documents about Philippine history were written by Filipino chroniclers or historians. In fact, the discovery of the Philippines would have not become a part of the entire history of the country if it was not documented by the foreigners who happened to step on the Philippine Islands even before the early Filipinos knew how to write their own history. Antonio Pigafetta, a Venetian nobleman, is one of the chroniclers whose work has been regarded as an essential primary source in studying the pre-colonial Philippines. He is known for being one of the men who accompanied Ferdinand Magellan in his circumnavigation of the world. The King of Spain commissioned him to document the voyage for the purpose of expanding the Spanish empire. His account has served as an important reference in finding out the events that took place when Magellan arrived in the Philippines and the departure of his fleet after his death. In his book, First Voyage around the World, by Magellan, Pigafetta described his firsthand observation as Magellan's group landed on the Philippine Islands particularly in the Visayas. He narrated every event that took place every day including Magellan's encounter with the native chiefs and the friendships that were established, their exchange of commodities, the feasts with the natives and the celebration of the Catholic mass, to cite a few. Moreover, Pigafetta gave his impressions on the natives' culture, qualities, and physical characteristics. Pigafetta's chronicle is one of the earliest written accounts about the pre-colonial Philippines and credible enough to be cited by many historians. However, in analyzing his work, one should be critical in looking into the content and context, and author as well. Pigafetta is a non-Filipino chronicler but with credible background when it comes to his capability to produce a document that eventually became an essential material in history. The objectivity or subjectivity of his writing could be influenced by the purpose of documenting the voyage, as it was ordered by the King of Spain, Furthermore, his impressions about the native Filipinos and their way of life could be relative to the setting in his place, Europe, which was more advanced that time. The differences on the context could influence the way he described the natives, the products or commodities they produced, and even the expression of religious faith. **Unit 2 - Customs of the Tagalogs (Two Relations)** The document, Customs of the Tagalogs (Two Relations) is one of the historical works written from the perspective of a religious figure during the Spanish colonization. Similar to Pigafetta, the intention of writing was driven by the order of the King of Spain to document the customs and traditions of the natives. The data were gathered from observation and conversation with the natives specifically the inabitants in Laguna. The first part (first relation) of the document described the social system in a precolonial society like the social stratification consisting of nobles, commoners, and slaves. Duties and obligations of each social class were also enumerated. In describing the social organization, the roles of chiefs and their families were mentioned -- their duties, rights, and privileges. Other customary ways that were narrated in detail included administration of law and justice; rules governing marriage between individuals of the same and different statuses; assignment of status of children; rules on divorce; and dowries in relation to inheritance and to marriage. The second part (second relation) of the document talked about religious system of the natives where in religious beliefs and practices, and religious leadership/ranks assumed were illustrated. In addition, it presented the richness of superstitions of the natives which the Spaniards found peculiar like the existence of the priests of the devil that exhibited extraordinary power. Lastly, the document described the burial practices, burial-related beliefs and afterlife-related beliefs of the natives, which the friars perceived as matters of foolishness. As cited in the document, Fray Juan de Plasencia wrote it on October 21, 1589 in Nagcarlan, Laguna. That was two months after his arrival in the Philippines in July, together with other Franciscan missionaries. His use of "Tagalogs" specifically referred to the natives in Laguna where he started preaching and converting the natives to Catholicism (In particular, it was in Laguna de Bay area and Tayabas, Quezon.). Aside from his missionary work, he also dedicated his labor to the foundation and organization of several towns in Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, and Bulacan, which included Majayjay, Nagcaraan, Liliw, Pila, Sta. Cruz, Lumban, Pangil, and Siniloan (Laguna); Tayabas, Calilaya, and Lucban (Quezon); Morong, Antipolo,and Taytay (Rizal); and Meycauayan (Bulacan). Being dedicatedly immersed in the natives' community, he developed a great interest in studying the native language. In fact, he authored one of the first books printed in the Philippines as he translated the religious book, Doctrina Cristiana, in Tagalog. Customs of the Tagalogs is another interesting primary source to examine for several reasons. First, it was written by an outsider, a friar chronicler. Thus, reservation of a Filipino reader is undeniable due to the negative image of "Spanish friars" before. Second, the title of the document is worth-analyzing as the use of the term "Tagalogs" is either too broad as it qualifies other natives inhabiting the Tagalog region or too narrow as it is limited to the natives of Laguna only (or specific area in Laguna), as if they are the only inhabitants who belonged to Tagalog race. Third, though Fray de Plasencia was described as dedicated to his missionary service and well-engaged with the natives' lives, the fact that the purpose of writing the document was to respond to the order of King of Spain cannot be discarded. Lastly, the use of several terms (negative or confusing) that cannot be hastily judged outside the context might be prone to misunderstanding or criticism of Filipino readers. **Unit 3 -- Description and Status of Cagayan Province, the Dress and Customs of its Natives, and its Rivers and Creeks** One historical source that has a significant relevance to Philippine history is the Boxer Codex. It is believed that the original name of the manuscript is Manila Manuscript owned by Govenor General Luis Perez Dasmariñas, the successor of Governador General Gomez Perez Dasmariñas. As a governor, he was tasked by the Spanish colonial government to write an account about the area he ruled. The manuscript was eventually owned by Lord Ilchester as one of his collections of books and manuscripts in his library at Holland House. In 1947, Professor Charles R. Boxer purchased the manuscript from the auction of Ilchester's collections. According to The Lily Library Digital Collections, the codex consists of both texts and images. The texts are accounts describing the places, people or inhabitants, and customs. The 75 images are colored drawings of the inhabitants of China, Philippines, Java, Moluccas, Landrones, and Thailand. Portion of these drawings describes the Filipinos from different ethnic groups like Negritos, Bisayans, Tagalogs, and Cagayanes and the natives belonging to different social classes in the early society. There are also 88 images depicting birds and fantastic animals and a double-fold drawing of a Spanish ship in one of the Landrones Islands surrounded by the small canoes of the natives of the islands. However, the manuscript does not indicate the authorship for each document. In the Boxer Codex, accounts on the Philippine Islands focused on customs, traditions, description of the natives, and the structure of their society as well. The account on Cagayan, specifically, highlights the geographic characteristics of the province - its rivers and creeks, hills, plains and valleys, the fertility of its water forms and land forms, and abundance of gold and other resources. There is a detailed description of clothing of male and female natives and their weapons as well. More so, the author gives its impression on the social attributes of the natives, which could be interpreted as immoral by Filipino readers and might cause fear to them or to the foreign readers. For instance, it was mentioned in the source that "people wage war, one place against the other, and where they do not leave anyone alive, even women and children, but cut off their heads". Even the chiefs were also depicted negatively in the statement, "they (chiefs) are a very treacherous and cruel people" and "they adore the devil...". As for the male natives, they were described as "very jealous people" to the extent that they could kill their wives when found with other men. It was not mentioned by the author that the Cagayanes believed in Bathala like what other early Filipinos did. But they had a form of worship called maganito, which was described as "cruel", and the purposes for performing it like healing of the sick, harvesting, and marriage. They were practicing maganito together with other superstitions. The last part of the document enumerates the funeral customs of the Cagayanes, which required various material symbolisms, specific rules of carrying it out, and norms for those who would attend the funeral. **Unit 4 -- Customs, Ceremonial Usages, and Rites of the Bisayans** Another document about the Philippine culture found in the Boxer Codex is about the customs, ceremonial usages, and rites of the Bisayans. Its text is quite longer than of the Description and Status of Cagayan, in which several sections compare the customs of Cagayanes and Bisayans. It starts with the detailed description of the Bisayans' physical characteristics including the garments for men and women, ornaments, and tattoos that made them distinct from other natives. Such description would leave the readers an impression that the Bisayans' clothing was more elaborated than of the Cagayanes. The document gives an emphasis on the Bisayans' literature as an embodiment of their beliefs. A thorough narration of the Bisayans' story of origin and beginning of the world, of the first man and woman, of life after death, and even of the formation of social classes covers a great portion of the account. The remaining parts of the document cover the following: - The practice of maganito (similar to the Cagayanes) by both men and women - Burial practice/funeral ceremonies which were different from the practice of Cagayanes - Bisayans' superstitions and belief in the power of sorcerers - Political structure (leadership of chiefs) - Engagement in wars (and weapons used) and in some forms of non-peaceful relations - Shipmaking and the types of ships that Bisayans' built - Administration of justice/punishment system - Customs on marriage - Practice of trade Attitude towards work - Moral grounds concerning pregnancy and giving birth - Slavery system - The use of sagra among men during the sexual intercourse (which the Spaniards found immoral) - Other things concerning architecture, games/pastime, music, food, sleeping, and siblings **Unit 5 - Customs and Traditions of Moros in the Philippine Islands of the West** The author of the document, Customs and Traditions of Moros in the Philippine Islands of the West, justified that the term "Moros" was used because the natives were performing some rites of Muhammad and adhering to Muhammad's law like circumcision and not eating pork. Aside from that, the rest of the customs seemingly overlapped with the customs of other non-Moro natives. For instance, it was mentioned in the document that the so-called Moros believed that God created the world, which they called "Bathala na may kapangyarihan sa lahat". Similarly, Agoncillo (1990) cited in his book, History of the Filipino People, that the natives had their "Bathala" or "Bathalang Maykapal" as the creator of the world and equivalent to the Spanish Dios. However, the use of the term was not exclusive to the Moros alone, in fact, he never even specified the natives as the Moros. In the document, it was added that Moros recognized the charismatic power of a catalonan or priest who preceded religious rituals. This practice could also be found in the customs of the Tagalogs where in the catalonans occupied the highest office of priests and whose rank was recognized and considered honorable. In this sense, it can be inferred that there is a need to qualify the term "Moros" to create a distinction from other natives. Moreover, the document presents some terms referring to Moros' gods, which implies that Moros were not purely monotheistic. They served these gods who seemed to be connected to nature depending on their purposes or intentions. Part of Moros' lives was reliant on their superstitions particularly their belief in omens and their meanings. It is also interesting to note that the author of the document was able to include in the account the writing system and alphabet of the natives, which reflected their educational system. This institutional aspect was not reported in other documents from the Boxer Codex. The document presents a comparison of Bisayans and Moros which seems to be in favor of the Moros. In particular, it was mentioned in the document that the Moros were more orderly and harmonious; and their houses were more orderly, more neat, and better. Like the way the Bisayans were described, the Moros were also illustrated in terms of their clothes and ornaments, leadership (usually headed by a chief), past time (drinking feasts and cockfighting), marriage, inheritance, music, trade, ship-making, and burial practices. **Unit 6 -- Account of the Pagan Rites and Ceremonies of the \[Tagalog\] Indios of the Philippine Islands** The document, Account of the Pagan Rites and Ceremonies of the \[Tagalog\] Indios of the Philippine Islands, supplements the work of Juan de Plasencia about the customs of the Tagalogs (though this one was not written by de Plasencia). Primarily, it focuses on the natives' belief system including their belief in Bathala (Malayari), their notion of soul, superstitions governing almost all aspects of their lives, and religious ceremonies and customs that actualized their beliefs. As compared to other documents, this one provides further explanation about the concept of soul. It only implies that the natives already had a notion of soul prior to the coming of Catholicism. That could be one aspect of their religious belief system that strengthened their spirituality. Privileges given to women were implicitly discussed in the document. Many of the Tagalogs' superstitions were highly regarded to protect women from danger especially during the period of pregnancy and childbirth. Other superstitions were connected with their day-to-day activities like planting, hunting, going out on a journey, and traveling on water. Some explained the causes of natural occurrences like raining, earthquakes, and appearance of moon. The Tagalogs were also convinced that some man-made things could possess extraordinary power like herbs used for treatment, amulets, potions, spells, and incantations. Some beliefs served as a guide in particular activities like building houses and ships, engaging in wars, and marrying. **Unit 7 -- Customs of the Moros** This document supplements the previous account on the beliefs and practices of the natives (who were called Moros by the author). The author reiterates here the social hierarchy in a certain village including the leadership of chiefs as well as their roles. A quite lengthy portion of the document puts stress on the description of slaves. In particular, the narration focuses on the obligations of slaves to their masters; the classification of slaves such as aliping namamahay and aliping sa gigilid; reasons of slavery; and the slaves' privileges with respect to their rank. Men's engagement in wars was also stated with detailed description of the natives' weapons and their uses. The document also contains the natives' superstitions regarding girls' menstruation, pregnancy, and other aspects of their daily activities. It can be inferred from their practices that there was a high regard given to women as their superstitions pertained to morality and conservatism. Seemingly, the natives' culture expected that girls would grow up with morals and manners. However, one custom that one may find surprising and opposing to the norms today is the natives' child upbringing practice. Fathers used to pamper their children and never imposed punishment. As a result, children learned not to respect their fathers. They could even hurt or beat with a stick their parents once they were triggered to do so. The natives' culture was also rich in rituals that reflected their strong belief in their god. They performed a ritual if they wanted to know something about a missing family member. They also believed that certain natural occurrences or cosmological changes signify future events or (illogical) consequences. Like the Bisayans, male natives practiced the insertion of an object underneath the skin of their sex organ during their intercourse with a woman. **Unit 8 -- Kasaysayan; Pinag-kasundoan; Manga Dakuilang Kautusan at Kartilya ng Katipunan** Subjugating the Philippines was a heyday for the Spanish colonizers not until the awakened Filipinos initiated movements to fight for freedom and independence that the country deserved. The early revolts courageously led by Francisco Dagohoy, Hermano Pule, the couple Diego and Gabriela Silang, and others are worthy of commemorating. Though their independent and regionalist actions against the Spaniards never turned successful, their initiative paved way to the formation of other strategies. Reform movement was born campaigning for assimilation or transformation of the Philippines into a province of Spain. The propagandists like Jose Rizal, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and Marcelo H. del Pilar used writing as a weapon to attack the Spanish enemies. But they failed with their mission of saving the Filipinos from the oppressive and tyrannical system of colonial government. Such failure led to a more radical movement which called for a revolution as the most effective resort to totally eradicate the supremacy of the Spaniards. The Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK) or Katipunan is a revolutionary movement that continued what the reformists had fired up. However, Katipunan did not cry for assimilation but for the absolute separation of the Philippines from Spain. Its members were not satisfied with pen but with arms as a weapon. It was fearlessly prepared not to shed sweat but blood. In short, Katipuneros wanted to overthrow the Spanish colonizers for they believed that the Philippines belonged to the Filipinos. The news about Rizal's deportation to Dapitan led to the founding of Katipunan through the initiative of Andres Bonifacio. It a structured society consisting of governing bodies, where in each body had positions occupied by the members. It had a system of membership, written principles and teachings, and by-laws. As a political organization, it aimed for the following: 1). separation of the Philippines from Spain; 2). inculcation of good manners and morals, hygiene, and attacking conservatism, religious fanaticism, and weakness of character; and 3). promotion of the principle of self-help and the defense of the poor and the oppressed (Agoncillo, 1990). The founding of Katipunan was supported by the document entitled, Kasaysayan; Pinag- kasundoan; Manga Dakuilang Kautusan. It was written in August 1892 by an author who was unidentified yet. It was said that it had an earlier version drafted in January. It consisted of three parts: Kasaysayan (Narrative); Pinag-kasundoan (Covenant); and Manga dakuilang kautusan (Principal orders). The first part was the declaration of patriotic outrage and intent where in Jose Rizal, Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos, and Jacinto Zamora were mentioned for their heroic deeds. The second part was about the members' solemn pledge to the sacred cause of liberty, and the appeals for strength and support to both the Almighty and true reason. The last part described the organizational structure and detailed the responsibilities of offices or positions (http://www.kasaysayan-kkk.info/membership-documents/emilio-jacinto-katipunan-nang-manga- a-n-b\-\--sa-may-nasang-makisanib-sa-katipunang-ito-the-kartilya). Another important document of Katipunan was the Kartilya ng Katipunan written by Emilio Jacinto in 1896. Its original title was "Manga \[sic\] Aral Nang \[sic\] Katipunan ng mga A.N.B." Bonifacio favored Jacinto's Kartilya instead of his Decalogue to educate the new members about the lessons of Katipunan. The Kartilya served as Katipunan's code of conduct (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). Written in the form of a pamphlet or primer, Kartilya was being handed to the aspiring members of Katipunan. The document consists of 14 teachings, which can be divided into two groups. The first group educates the members on how to be upright individuals while the second one guides the members on treating their fellow men (Candelaria and Alporha, 2018). Analyzing thoroughly each rule pointed out in the Kartilya will give an idea of the nature of Katipunan, the values it upheld, and the organization's aspiration both for its members and for all Filipinos. **Unit 9 -- Corazon Aquino's Speech during the Joint Session of the US Congress** Aside from being a symbol of women empowerment, the presidency of Corazon Aquino signifies the rebirth of democracy from the iron hands of dictatorial leadership of Ferdinand Marcos. The EDSA Revolution in 1986 marked the end of Marcos regime and the beginning of restoration of nation's liberty and order. Aquino immediately took an action to restructure the government and to draft a new constitution. On September 18, 1986, Aquino went to the US and delivered her speech before a joint session of the US Congress. She started her speech with recollected memories about her husband Ninoy, his death and the recognition that Filipino people gave for his bravery and selfless act for the country. She talked about Ninoy's character as a husband, father, and martyr of the nation. She also recalled the times when they lost Ninoy. The first time was in 1972 when Ninoy was detained together with other dissenters who spoke up for democracy. The second time was when Ninoy was put on a trial due to subversion, murder, and other crimes before a military commission. It almost put him into death as he underwent a 40-day fasting as an act of protest. The third time was the irrevocable one -- the assassination of Ninoy in Tarmac on August 21, 1983. Though it was painful for her and her children, Aquino considered her husband's death as the "country's resurrection" for it led to a peaceful revolution that brought her to "democracy's most famous home, the Congress of the United States". Aquino's speech also reflects her philosophy of democracy which she learned from Ninoy. Her courage to win democracy came from her will to fight for the Filipino people. The snap election held with fraudulence, threats, and corruption did not gain dictator's interest. It was the people's commitment to democracy that gave the nation its victory. As the people proclaimed her as a president, she mentioned that she respected the life and freedom of the Filipinos. Thus, she informed the US Congress about the completion of constitutional structures of the new democracy under a constitution that will give full respect to the Bill of Rights. In addition, Aquino talked about her peace agenda with the communist insurgency through political initiatives and local reintegration programs. She also mentioned the \$26 billion foreign debt of the Philippines. She ended her speech by extending her gratitude to the US when it became their home for three years, and for its aid as the Philippines built a new home for democracy.