By PATNUBAY de GUIA
NDFP – Southern Tagalog
Celebrate 39 years of struggle for national democracy with fierce resistance against US imperialism and the anti-national and anti-people policies of the puppet Aquino Regime!
We see our country under foreign control and being run by an inept and incompetent government. On the other hand, we see the unity and struggle of our people wielding enormous power. We see war being waged against that foreign control and reactionary government. We see and anticipate victory and we firmly hold onto our arms until our land achieve genuine freedom, independence and peace.
On April 24, we celebrate the 39th founding anniversary of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) on April 24. With joy and unfailing hope, the NDFP-Southern Tagalog Region expresses its solidarity and salutes the NDFP and all its ally organizations for their roles in broadening the national-democratic aspirations among the ranks of the masses that are struggling for democracy, freedom and independence. We honor the progressive forces, our friends in struggle and the entire Filipino people for their accomplishments and sacrifices in the course of building a new society and system that is progressive, prosperous and free.
The unity and struggle of the Filipino people for national and social liberation is crucial in the midst of the worsening political and economic crises that beset the world and the country brought by the monopoly capitalist system. History has shown that imperialism and the local reactionary system only serve their needs and interests. Foreign companies and local landlords rob the lands that farmers seek to cultivate. Decent livelihood and livable wages for the nation’s working populace are not addressed. Foreign and local big capitalists are exploiting the country’s natural resources. The shelters of the poor are ruined to give way to Public-Private Partnership program. Social services are being privatized. The prices of commodities and other basic needs are skyrocketing. The people are left with nothing but their concerted actions to depend on.
The US imperialist is hell-bent in strengthening its economic, political and military control and influence such as the Asia-Pacific Region in which our country geographically belongs. As a result, joint military exercises involving the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and US military units are being conducted around the country attacking our freedom and sovereignty. The nation is not new with these military exercises to believe the improbable positive outcome that the Aquino regime declares from ‘seeking greater military ties’ with the US armed forces. Under the pretext of relief and humanitarian missions, these military exercises intend to conduct military intelligence and operations. History has shown that US military presence anywhere in the world brings nothing but war atrocities – interfere with local armed conflict, attack the people and the revolutionary movement, massacre innocent civilians, rape women and all the while enjoying impunity for their crimes against humanity.
Furthermore, the Aquino regime is not half the government the people had hoped for. It has no plans of disappointing the needs and interest of its imperialist master, the Unites States, even at the expense and detriment of the people and the nation. As a puppet regime of the US imperialist, it continues to design anti-people and anti-national programs and policies. The people are left to suffer the effects of its incompetence and ineptness as Aquino himself, for example, during the recently held Power Summit in Mindanao, made it clear that he can do nothing but scratch his head and provide insensible answers on what his government can do regarding the matter.
Cognizant of our duties and our commitment in building a free nation and with unfailing revolutionary optimism let us continue to spread the struggle for national democracy. We have no shortage of peace loving and nationalist people that when aroused and organized are ready to give their support to our short-term and long-term endeavors. While Aquino has only his popularity to fall back on, the Filipino people posses an enormous power, an unshakable force to defend and fight against foreign and local oppressors and exploiters.
As we celebrate the 39th anniversary of the NDFP, we give our highest revolutionary salute to the revolutionary martyrs who courageously dedicated their lives to our noble ideals ever since the dark period of the nation’s history under Marcos dictatorship. We also commemorate on April 19 the 65th birthday of Comrade Gregorio “Ka Roger” Rosal. Ka Roger, who passed away last year, served as the NDFP-Southern Tagalog Region, Melito Glor Command (MGC) and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Spokesperson. And as much as we honor his death, we also remember his birth. We are continuously humbled and inspired by the fact that a great revolutionary leader like Ka Roger, who came from a humble and underprivileged background, triumphed over all the sufferings and sacrifices he had to make for the sake of serving the people and the revolution signifying that the birth of great revolutionaries from the basic masses is ceaseless as long as exploitation and oppression continue to pass.
Without taking out the sense of boundless joy that we feel in celebrating NDFP’s 39th anniversary and with much revolutionary optimism, let us continue to create stronger unities and firmly hold our arms until victory.