1. Reading Notes.

In your reading of the article, write a reading notes that look into the
political and social issues that the article addresses.

 “President Aquino inherited an excessively centralized, thoroughly discredited state.

The economy was in severe recession, forced by capital flight and the withdrawal of
short-term loans “to contract by more than 15% in two consecutive years (1984–
1986).”
 “Aquino inherited not only a state and economy in crisis but also a nation with a
growing proportion of poor citizens.”
 “Marcos loyalists in the AFP attempted to overthrow the government in May 1986,
and RAM followed in November with the first of several coup attempts. From small
military force of about fifty thousand dominated by a professional officer corps in the
mid-1960s, the AFP had become a politicized and divided agency of 154,139 in late
1986.5 In addition to the immediate impact on civil order, coup attempts made
foreign investors wary and so affected the degree of international assistance the
Philippines could expect to receive in its recovery effort.”
 “Second, Aquino faced the international debt inherited from the previous
government, estimated at $27.2 billion in 1986. Considering that much of it had been
lost to fraud—part of the $10–15 billion sent to private bank accounts abroad—there
was significant popular support for restructuring or even repudiating portions of the
debt.”
 “Under pressure from coup attempts, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the
World Bank, and the United States, Aquino vetoed radical changes in economic
policy and decided to honor the country’s debt obligations “fully and unconditionally
instead of declaring a selective moratorium to address the resource transfer issue.”
She also enrolled the Philippines in the recovery programs of the IMF and World
Bank, which required meeting a series of reform targets to liberalize the economy
ending agricultural monopolies and favoritism in industrial projects, reducing tariffs,
and lifting import controls.”
 “Aquino’s decision in favor of full debt repayment and IMF conditionality meant that
technocrats rather than social reformists set the economic agenda in the new
government. In fact, the technocracy’s role in the post-Marcos period became
stronger with the claim that economic development could succeed if freed from
“cronies” and opposition from the protectionist domestic industrial sector.”
 “The 1987 Constitution reflected the diverse makeup of its drafters in the homage it
paid to various elements of society—the family, women, labor, and the private and
other “sectors” (such as the peasantry and cultural minorities). It cautiously enshrined
the goal of “a more equitable distribution of opportunities, income, and wealth,” but
clearly defined “the promotion of social justice” as the creation of “economic
opportunities based on freedom of initiative and self-reliance.”
 “The 1987 Constitution, which remains in effect today, restored the pre–martial law
constitutional system consisting of a president and vice president, bicameral
legislature, and independent Supreme Court. The president is limited to one six-year
 term, senators to two six-year terms; presidents, vice presidents, and senators are
elected by popular vote in national at-large elections.”
 “An important element of support for the new regime came from reformist non-
governmental organizations (NGOs) and people’s organizations (POs).”
 “Aquino’s commitment to “full democratic restoration” also meant the passage of
Republic Act 7160, Local Government Code 1991, to reinvigorate local governance.
As it was implemented over the next decade, it would devolve some of the powers of
the national government to local and provincial governments, increase their share of
revenue allotments, and give them the right to impose property taxes on state-owned
or -controlled corporations in their localities.”
 “Even traditional politics did not revert completely back to “the good old days.”
Marcos’s destruction of the Nacionalistas and Liberals ended the two- party system,
and the splintering of his Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (KBL) in 1986 left no single
organization with a nationwide network capable of dominating the political arena.
Politicians were powerful within their realms (provinces, cities, and municipalities),
but their ties to the national state were no longer coursed through a single patronage
machine.”
 “One sector that experienced unprecedented prominence in the political arena has
earned less attention from scholars than most. We refer here to women, beginning
with the election of the country’s first female president. In the later years of the
Marcos dictatorship, the democratic opposition was organized not simply along class
lines or mobilized under the broad goal of “democracy”—feminists and leftists also
spearheaded organization along gender lines. Behind the growth of “women’s
organizing” lay peasant women’s defense of their communities from military abuses,
middle-class concern about the spread of prostitution, the illegal trafficking in women
that accompanied Filipinos’ search for employment abroad, and union organizing in
factories with female-dominated work forces.”
 “Marcos belittled Aquino as a presidential rival, driving hitherto apathetic middle-
class and elite women into her camp, where they formed a boisterous and influential
group that cemented support for her presidency in the “golden ghettos.” Many of the
professional women among them later served in her administration.”
 “The downward eco- nomic spiral Aquino inherited from Marcos was halted by her
decision to honor the country’s financial obligations, dismantle import controls and
monopolies that protected crony enterprises, and initiate trade reform. After some
hesitation, foreign investment began to return, rising from $564 million in 1987 to
$2.5 billion in 1992.30 The value of exports doubled in the same period, reaching
$8.8 billion.”
 “The “foreign debt hemorrhage caused a huge drain on the budget and severely
limited the government’s options.” Trying to stem the outflow through “heavy
domestic borrowing” only in- creased the deficit and created a “vicious cycle”: “large
deficits pushed up interest rates, increased the internal debt-service requirements, and
caused even larger deficits.” Domestic debt soared to $12.3 billion in 1990, and each
year from 1987 to 1991, payments on foreign and domestic debt consumed between
40 and 50 percent of the national budget.”
 “Ramos’s economic strategy was more detailed, consisting of a deter- mined
liberalization program geared to attract foreign investment and foster
 competitiveness; the accelerated privatization of state corporations; and the breakup
of cartels and monopolies in the power, shipping, domestic air transport,
telecommunications, banking, and oil industries. With the growing prevalence of
free-trade agreements, Ramos felt the need to reposition the Philippine economy
regionally and internationally—his declared goal was to turn the Philippines into an
“economic cub” by 2000.”

2. Did the actions and policies of President Aquino reflect her concept of democracy?
Explain. In answering this question, analyze the information from the article. 

- With regards to restoring democracy, there is no doubt that Aquino implemented

it with the correct actions and policies, for until now the Philippines is using the
1987 constitution that divides the government into three branches, she restored a
strong legislature, an independent judiciary and a free mass media which are all
part of the political reform during her presidency. More than that, she made
negotiations with the communists which are the NPA and Muslim MNLF that
eased the threat of rebellion.

3. Infer, what type of institutional changes would you think President Aquino would want to
achieve democracy? 

- I think, more institutional changes that the President would want to implement in
order to achieve democracy is the strict implementation of human rights which is
relevant to her time up until the present time. Human rights will always be a part
of democracy because it contains the different kinds of freedom that a certain
person should have in order to live life comfortably. People during the Martial
Law were urged to do the People Power Revolution together by Corazon Aquino
to seek for their freedom and justice under the authoritarian government during
Marcos’ term, and I think the most effective way to achiever democracy is to let
people live like a people, without any fears, uncertainties and doubts to the
government.

4. From the article, you can infer the definition of democratization. How might this
definition of democratization apply to the current Philippine context? Explain. 

- The democratization in the Philippines is being described in the 1987 constitution

which was made during the presidency of Aquino, and now the Philippines is still
using this constitution but today, the Duterte Administration wanted to change
and increase awareness about the Federalism and Charter Reform. There are a lot
 of changes that is happening right now in the Duterte Administration, there were
said to be extra-judicial killings which is a part of human right violation that
contradicts the concept of the 1987 constitution. Moreover, one of the changes in
the current administration is suppressing the mass media to spread news and
information, prohibiting press freedom to function contradicts the concept of
democracy. There are changes but the branches of the government still exist in the
current administration.

5. Do the accounts that happened in the Aquino administration manifest the ideology of
democracy? Support your answer.

- Yes, it manifested the ideology of democracy, because it implies the concept of

democracy that gives freedom to people, especially the significance of the
freedom of expression. Moreover, it also follows the allocation of powers into
different branches which are the legislative, executive, and judicial which means
that these three branches will function equally with such different tasks when
creating and implementing laws. It also manifested the political equality of all
citizens which is an essential principle of democracy. Furthermore, it supports the
idea of fair elections wherein, the people will decide whoever they think that is
fitted to a certain position in the government which also gives the citizen freedom
as well.

6. What are the institutional reforms introduced by the Aquino administration? Identify at
least five institutional reforms. 

- First institutional reforms that was made and restored during the pre-martial law
constitutional system which states that there will be one president, vice president,
bicameral legislature, and independent Supreme Court. Second, the president will
only have a six-year term and he/she can no longer exceed on that, while senators
to two six year terms and the president, vice presidents, and senators are elected
by popular vote in national at-large elections. Third was the strict implementation
of human rights since there are a lot of crimes happened during the martial law
and the presidency of Aquino investigated more about these killings. Fourth was
the reinstatement of mass media which plays an important role in the society up
until the present time and lastly she solved different problems during her term
such as the problem in the failing economy of the Philippines.