Kaspil2 Petition

Cheng, Philip I
KASPIL2/V24
Dr. Arleigh Dela Cruz
Performance Task #3 November 30, 2012 Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC
Secretary, Department of Education Dear Bro. Armin,

As a student from De La Salle University and a concerned citizen of the Philippines, I would like to raise up some issues that I have noticed in some history textbooks being produced and used in primary and secondary schools. When I was in Elementary and High School, I was made to believe in inaccurate things about the American and Japanese occupation of our country. These things were straightened out by my professor in De La Salle University and I believe that the children who still use these textbooks have the right to be taught what is correct.

It is commonly misinterpreted that Americans are kinder, benevolent and more humane than the Japanese. I oppose this statement and believe that it is only an assumption because the Japanese occupation was shorter and was during the World War. The Americans killed countless Filipinos in a war that they started on a land that they acquired illegitimately from the previous colonists. Spain turned the country over after they lost the war which means that they have no right to negotiate with the Americans regarding the ownership of the Philippines. The wrongdoings of the Japanese were much condensed and was more well-documented compared to that of the Americans. To support this argument, there are definitely more materials including books, videos, articles about the Japanese than the Americans. Both have contributed to our current culture but the atrocities made by both were unevenly documented and mentioned in the textbooks.

The Filipino-American War is also forgotten by our students today. As stated earlier, the Japanese occupation during the World War was documented better thus giving publishers more information to include in their textbooks. Little has been mentioned about the Filipino-American War. I only remember being only taught where, how and who started the Filipino-American war and immediately jumping to the Japanese occupation. During the Japanese occupation, the Americans were on our side only because they get resources from us and they defended us because we are part of their colony. Their support during the World War was shown but not in detail. Some of their “support” cost us Bataan due to their Battle Plan Orange and other cases as well. Nonetheless, their support made their image better in the students eyes which causes them to perceive that the Americans were more humane.

It is also a misinterpretation that we should be thankful to the Americans because they contributed education to us. First of all, we didn’t ask for it. They came and colonized us a short period after we won our freedom from Spain. As stated in the second paragraph, our country was illegitimately acquired from Spain which we defeated before they dealt with the Americans. As humans, we develop and can improve on our own without other people’s help. It’s just that some are more developed than others. What they did was to westernize our culture and to educate us just because we were a part of their colony. We shouldn’t really be thankful for something that was enforced. And besides, that does not offset the atrocities that they committed during the war and their colonization.

I truly believe that you would understand the premises and I sincerely hope for your positive response.

Sincerely,

Philip Cheng
De La Salle University - Manila

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