The Unspoken

IN JOSE RIZAL’S OWN WORDS, she was his dear wife. A few hours before his execution, they embraced for the last time and he gave her a souvenir—a religious book with his dedication, “To my dear unhappy wife, Josepine .”

Amnesty in the Philippines GENERAL AMNESTY. President Grants it to Filipinos. Los Angeles Times July 4, 1902 In 1902 United States president Theodore Roosevelt, McKinley's successor, declared peace in the Philippines and placed the islands under civil control. He also, as this Los Angeles Times article reports, granted general amnesty to Filipino rebels. Washington, July 3.—The President has formally declared the restoration of peace in the Philippines, and has placed the islands under complete civil control, and extended general amnesty to the Filipinos who have been in rebellion. These three things marking one of the most important chapters in Philippine history, were accomplished through the issue of three separate orders and proclamations, one by the President over his own signature, extending amnesty; one through Secretary Root, by the President's order, relieving Gen. Chaffee from his duties as Military Governor, and a third, which takes the shape of a gen...

Marcos Flies to Honolulu Marcos Flies to Honolulu; Aquino Bars Extradition Los Angeles Times February 26, 1986 After more than 20 years as president of the Philippines, Ferdinand E. Marcos fled his country in 1986 following a rebellion by military leaders and civilians. This article from the Los Angeles Times discusses Marcos's move to Hawaii and the implications of his refuge there. From Times Wire Services Honolulu—Ousted Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos arrived in Hawaii today to take up at least temporary residence in exile two days after being forced to leave his island nation after 20 years in power. In Manila, meanwhile, President Corazon Aquino said she would not try to extradite Marcos, saying, “I have said I can be magnanimous in victory.” Her government also announced plans for a general amnesty. The U.S. Air Force C-141 transport carrying Marcos and his family to Hawaii landed at Hickam Air Force Base at 12:42 p.m. PST. The plane carried the pa...

Rizal’s Impression of America Good Impressions: 1.        The material progress of the country as shown in the great cities, huge farms, flourishing industries, and busy factories. 2.        The drive and energy of the American people. 3.        The natural beauty of the land. 4.        The high standard of living. 5.        The opportunities for better life offered to poor immigrants. Bad Impression: 1.        The lack of racial equality. “America is the land par excellence of freedom but only for the whites.” – Jose Rizal Juan1996

Senator Beveridge on Imperialism Senator Albert Beveridge gave this speech on the Senate floor, arguing in favor of annexing the Philippines and against granting Filipinos self-rule, an issue that had much importance during President William McKinley's administration. Beveridge believed the Filipinos, and Asian people in general, were incapable of governing themselves by democratic rules. He based this belief on a conviction that Anglo-Saxons were racially superior, an attitude reflected in this speech. At the same time, Beveridge's views more generally demonstrate that territorial expansion by the United States at the beginning of the 20th century was closely related to racial bias and to the belief that white men had a “burden” to “civilize” a “barbarous” world. Senator Beveridge's Imperialist Philippines Speech January 9, 1900 THE FILIPINOS ARE CHILDREN, UTTERLY INCAPABLE OF SELF-GOVERNMENT. ... But, Senators, it would be better to abandon this combined garden...

by: MC

Hindi ako Makabayan Alam ko ang historya ng bansang Pilipinas, ginagalang ko ang watawat at kinakanta ang Lupang Hinirang, pilit kong isinasabuhay ang Panatang Makabayan, at sinusubukan kong mahalin ng buo ang kultura at tradisyong Pilipino. Masasabi ko na isa akong makabayan, pero hindi talaga dahil hindi ito sapat para masabi ko na isa akong makabayang Pilipino. Sa musika, sining, at literatura ay mas madami akong alam na modern songs kesa OPM, alam ko ang talambuhay nina Hans Zimmer at Leonardo da Vinci at wala man lang akong alam sa kwento nina Julian Felipe at Fernando Amorsolo, wala akong alam ni isang tula nina Francisco Baltazar, Fernando Ma. Guerrero at Leona Florentino, at nabasa ko na lahat ng libro ni J.K. Rowling at walang sawa ko pa ito inuulit basahin samantalang ang mga sinulat ni Dr. Jose Rizal ay hindi ko man lang kusang basahin at tuwing tinatalakay sa paaralan ay inaantok ako. Tinatangkilik ko ang Vans at Converse at wala man lang akong interes sa mga sapatos n...

Racism “It has been charged that our conduct of the war has been cruel…. Senators must remember that we are not dealing with Americans or Europeans. We are dealing with Orientals.” -Albert J. Beveridge (1862-1927) The adjective and noun Oriental , with reference to people from East Asia, is now regarded as a relic of Western colonialism and should be avoided and it is highly offensive. The preferred substitute is Asian . So they thought that the “Orientals” were weaklings and that the Americans and Europeans were stronger. Well, Asians are far stronger than them and that is a fact.  “There was nothing for us to do but to take them all, and to educate the Filipinos, and uplift and civilize and Christianized them, and by God’s grace do the very best we could for them, as our fellowmen for whom Christ also died.” -Attributed to William McKinley (1843-1901) Referring to his decision to claim the Philippine Islands. For my own opinion, this is cracked. Philipp...

The Philippines Gain Independence Associated PressJuly 4, 1946 Manila , July 4. (AP)—The Stars and Stripes, which floated over the Philippines for 48 years except for war's disastrous intermission, was lowered proudly today by U.S. Commissioner Paul V. McNutt—symbolizing the birth of the new Philippines republic. President Manuel A. Roxas sent the flag of the republic aloft in its place, in a colorful rain-splashed ceremony before a crowd estimated at 600,000, thus climaxing the islands' 400 years of bloody struggle for freedom.Roxas was sworn in as President and ElpidioQuirino as Vice-President. Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who led the liberation of the islands from the Japanese, was guest speaker. Representatives of 50 nations attended the ceremonies marking independence under the Tydings-McDuffie Act. Freedom came to the archipelago after a 10-year transitional period as a commonwealth with a Filipino chief executive. President Truman was represented by Postmaste...

Hypocrisy of the USA The Philippines was once a colony of the United States of America, but it is still a colony. The Americans helped the Filipinos to gain their liberty from the Japanese occupation during the World War II and it can be a good thing, it is. American soldiers with their destructive and powerful weapons had the biggest achievement in the liberation, but it left the Maynila and other regions a dead place. The Americans bombarded the unreplaceable ancient Intramuros, old churches, business places, etc. even though there were no enemies on some and I always think that they did it to deflate the state and economy of the Philippines so that they can still control it. One of my friends said that he had read on a certain book that almost all of the past presidents were being held and controlled by the US Imperialism, they also had a big involvement with the Martial Law during the Marcos Regime, and there are more sensitive and untold ones. Freedom and democracy are just a...

Philippine Proverbs      A guilty conscience needs no accuser.     Boldness is the fruit of hope.     For every door that shuts ten will open.     He who errs should be taught and not ridiculed.      If a bamboo tube sounds loudly, it is empty.    If you sow arrows, you will reap sorrows.      It is better to go to bed hungry than to wake up in debt.      No matter how well you clean a goat, it is still smell like a goat.     Nothing destroys iron like its own rust.      Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.    The sea always ebbs after high tide.      To those we love best we say the least. Juan1996

People Power Movement People Power Movement, fou r-day protest in 1986 in Manila, that forced Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos into exile and ended his 14-year dictatorship of the Republic of the Philippines. Although worldwide coverage of the event portrayed it as a spontaneous uprising, its origins lay in years of rising resentments among military officers and growing protests by Manila’s middle class. Benigno Aquino (“Ninoy” Aquino) was the chief opposition leader in the Philippine Senate when Marcos declared martial law in 1972. He was imprisoned until 1980 and then went into political exile in the United States. Aquino flew back to the Philippines in 1983, but his military escort shot him in the back of the head as he stepped from the aircraft. The brutal assassination made him an instant martyr to those opposed to the Marcos regime. Many among the millions who attended his funeral procession later joined opposition groups to campaign for the restoration of democracy. ...

1986: Philippines Archives consist of articles that originally appeared in Collier's Year Book (for events of 1997 and earlier) or as monthly updates in Encarta Yearbook (for events of 1998 and later). Because they were published shortly after events occurred, they reflect the information available at that time. Cross references refer to Archive articles of the same year. For the Philippines, 1986 was a momentous year, one that saw a demure former housewife, Corazon (Cory) Aquino, overthrow the entrenched regime of President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Marcos's ouster, after 20 years of nearly absolute power, brought an enormous sense of excitement and relief to many Filipinos but left the new government with monumental problems. Peaceful Revolution. Behind the peaceful revolution that placed Aquino in power lay years of growing public disillusionment with Marcos and his wife, Imelda, who allegedly amassed great wealth and personal power as the country's economy and dem...