Denelli Villanueva 

 
HI 166 AB 
I. In 15 sentences or less, please answer the following questions (25pts/question) 
1.) In Ricardo T. Jose’s “Test of Wills,” we saw how the Philippine government 
established ties with the Japanese. Are our ties with Japan in any way neocolonial? If so, 
how is it or is it not a kind of neocolonialism? 
Yes, the Japanese swiftly took over our country (1). Their military penetrated the Philippine 
government in such a way that it would seem like they were helping us (2). In their occupancy 
their priority was to establish a local administration with Filipinos as part of the ​staff. ​(3) Most of 
these staff members were Filipinos who remained in Manila after the Commonwealth who were 
‘strongly encouraged’ by the Japanese to become part of the Philippine Executive Commission 
(4). An organization that is basically puppeted by the Japanese, since Japanese advisers were 
attached to the hip of the Filipino members (5). There was little to no room for Filipinos to 
exercise their diplomatic and governmental decisions, since what they mostly did was cary out 
the ‘advise’ of the Japanese advisers (6). Neocolonialism occurs when a country uses economic, 
political and cultural pressures to influence or control another country (7). This is basically what 
happened between the Japanese and the Philippines, whereas the Japanese tried and sometimes 
succeeded to still be part of the Philippine’s decision making power even after they have given us 
“independence” (8). In the “Test of Wills”, Ricardo Jose mentioned that the most testly of wills 
was when the Preparatory Commision for Philippine Independence (PCPI) was formed (9). It 
was at this point that the Japanese wanted to show their benevolence by giving the Philippines 
Independence (10). However, even in the transitioning phase towards independence, the 
Japanese tried their best to inject their own ideas on how the Constitution should be written, by 
framing our ‘independence’ in such a way that we still ​needed​ their guidance and support (11). 
Although we were meant to have independence as a country, the Japanese kept pushing that 
although this was the case, they still wanted us under their wing, by wing I mean the Greater 
East-Asia Co Prosperity Sphere, which is also basically controlled by them (12). So yes, we had a 
neocolonialist relationship with the Japanese government, because although they claimed to have 
given us independence and a sort of independent government they had other ways to influence 
their decisions on us by means of economic pressure or even cultural pressure as mentioned in 
Jose’s “Test of Wills” (13).  
2.) While women activists have been around since the establishment of public education 
in the Philippines, women’s groups increased during the Marcos period. Using Aurora 
de Dios’ reading, what were the different factors behind the “increasing degradation of 
the Filipina” during the Marcos era? 
Poverty, increased militarization, oppression of women, being tortured in captivity– these are 
only some of the the terrors that women had undergone under the Marcos period (1). Prior to 
this women’s issues were considered a primary issue, however, because of the ongoing 
dictatorship these issues were transformed into secondary issues to redirect efforts and protests 
towards the abuse of human rights by the regime (2). In the controversial case of Hilda Narciso, 
she was the first woman to over be vocal and fully pursue the case against such abuse (3). I 
attended her talk and listened to her story first hand: she was a school teacher when she was 
abducted and taken to a “safehouse” to be “interrogated” only to find out that she was brought 
there to be interrogated and sexually assaulted (4). This was because during the Marcos period, 
there was an uprise of women activists in the rebellion; women were becoming more vocal and 
action-able in their protests (5). Although, at the time, women activists from all social classes 
were joining together to fight for their rights and the rights of their children, some women who 
weren’t under the protection of the “elite” women groups still ended up like Hilda Narciso (6). 
And despite being vocal about women’s issues such as sex-trafficking, sex tours, prostitution and 
the abuse of political detainees, as well as their various campaigns, women who don’t have the 
political connections or women who are not part of the elite, are somehow still untouched by the 
changes trying to be implemented by the women groups: CWO, WOMEN, etc.(7). At this point, 
women were not just violated or disrespected, they were treated like animals, especially the 
women who aren’t in the elite, they were raped repeatedly and abused and tortured, for the sake 
of men satisfying their desires, their messed up desires (8). It is at this point that animals were 
treated better than women, at least animals were fed and bathed, some women who were held 
captive were starved and left to their own messes (9). Some women who were part of the elite, 
were like untouchables, since they had connections with higher-ups, however, this did not stop 
them from fearing whatever future lies ahead for their children, their friends and even 
themselves (10). Women’s Desk of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines exposed the letters 
and pressed statements which are demeaning to women, and pushed the initiation of WASP 
(Women Againsst Sexist Politics) to call out Marcos for his sexist and demeaning remarks 
towards women (11). Bottomline is women were never safe under the Marcos era, especially if 
insult and disrespect comes from the President himself (12). 
 
3.) Kindly view the film Tonpei and Sarukichi (1936). In ​Adventures of Dankichi, 
Kawamura argues that the Japanese have set themselves apart from the rest of the 
“uncivilised” and “native” Asia. How does this film depict Japan’s popular Orientalism? 
What do the characters in the film represent and what message does this film imparts to 
its young viewers? 
Orientalism is, according to Edward Said, a style for dominating, restructuring and having 
authority over the orient (1). In the short film, although it was encouraging the oppressed to 
fight back, highlighted how easily ‘natives’ and ‘uncivilised’ can be abused (2). King Lion and 
Tonpei symbolize the oppressors: they abused the ‘blackies’ by taking their resources and hurting 
their families, and how they will use their power and influence to trick others into believing them 
(3). The film encourages us to fight back, despite hurt and pain (in the film one of the monkeys 
died), we have to find it in ourselves to adapt and fightback, similar to how their home shifted 
into different weapons (4). In the film, the pig was depicted to have the power to take whatever 
he wants, through violence and stealing. Similar to how our oppressors used to take what’s ours 
as if it’s theirs (5). The Japanese used the framework of Western colonization to colonise the 
Philippines, they restructured our lives and our way of living for them to benefit (6). Although 
the natives were oppressed and abused, the film depicted that no matter how cruel and horrible 
life gets, justice will always prevail (8). Their tyranny over us will come to an end, and they will 
get what they deserve, the film made sure to deliver this message, so the natives will not lose 
hope and motivation in going against an oppressive system to fight for what’s right (9). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.) In Lisandro Claudio’s analysis of the Bantayog ng mga Bayani monument, he argues 
that the memories of the anti-Marcos movement merits examination given the 
invisibility of Communist contribution to the cause. In the attached iconic image of the 
EDSA Revolution, what do you remember of EDSA 1986 and what are you forgetting? 
How does this image shape our memory of the Marcos Regime and the EDSA 
Revolution? 
 
Lisandro Claudio pointed out a crucial detail about the Bantayog ng mga Bayani: that they 
represented only those who were prominent and noticeable, that those who were recognized 
were those who only seemed ‘good on paper’ (1). The monuments did not have representations 
of those who actually fought and experienced the nitty-gritty side of the revolution. (2). Most of 
the revolution was happening underground, yes there were known leaders who have led them, 
but most of fighting and actual combat happened amongst the masses, the masses who are not 
recognized or even acknowledged for the role they played in the revolution (3). Most of the 
rebellion happened underground, hidden, so as to not be punished because if they were found 
what are the chances that the people who are funding them would defend them? (4). THe 
Communists were simply not recognized because some feared that the benefactors would take 
back their commitment to the bantayog (5). The role of class privilege heavily influenced who 
and what the people would be left to remember (6). It is because of such privileges that 
acknowledgement and recognition are only given to the elite and the bourgeoisie, because despite 
their acts against the system they have little to lose, but the masses have everything to lose (7). 
The photo is focused on the nuns leading this act of the revolution, at first, they are all we will 
notice (8). Just like how we only remember the people who were focused on during the 
revolution, like the Aquinos (9). Like how the nuns are at the forefront and focus of the image, 
so were the Aquinos, but what about what’s behind them, who’s behind them (10)? We are 
designed by the system to remember only those who were most notable, those who had names 
and positions but we are forgetting the people who actually play the greatest role–the people, the 
masses (11). This shapes our memory in such a way that it is because of the elite and the notables 
that we were able to achieve a revolution, when in fact they are just the faces of the revolution 
(12). This way we are forgetting the actual heart, and limbs of what drove the revolution (13). We 
are forgetting the people who have lost everything for the nation, we are forgetting the unnamed, 
we are forgetting the lives that were lost for all “this”–the Filipino masses (14).