In this special issue of Liberation International, we pay tribute to a revolutionary who not only helped shape the Philippine national democratic movement, but also laid the foundations for this very publication: Ka Louie Jalandoni, former editor of Liberation International.
Ka Louie has long been synonymous with international solidarity work and the cause of national liberation in the Philippines. But beyond his role as a senior leader and representative of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), he was also a writer, propagandist, and tireless messenger of the people’s struggle.
At a time when the Philippine revolutionary movement was not as visible as it is today to the international public, Ka Louie saw the need to consistently inform and engage solidarity allies, revolutionary parties, and anti-imperialist forces around the world. He began writing regular updates on the political situation in the Philippines, the status of the people’s war, and the sharp contradictions that gave rise to the armed struggle. These articles, thoughtfully written and firmly rooted in the principles of the national democratic movement, laid the groundwork for what would become Philippine Updates.
Ka Louie took on editorship of Liberation International in 2001 after our first editor and NDFP Chairperson Antonio “Manong” Zumel passed away in August 2001. Ka Louie carried out the work as editor of Liberation International and used it as a platform to articulate the voice of the Filipino people in struggle and to link arms with other liberation movements and proletarian-socialist parties.
Ka Louie was never one for personal credit. But those of us who have worked on this publication know how much of its soul came from his quiet but determined guidance. He edited with precision and he reviewed with care, ensuring every article served the objectives of the national democratic revolution.
We dedicate this special issue of Liberation International to Ka Louie with love, respect, and vow to carry forward the revolutionary work he began.
Mabuhay ang alaala ni Ka Louie!