On the occasion of the International Working Women’s Day on March 8 and the 55th anniversary of the New People’s Army, Liberation International offers women Red fighters’ insights on building a revolutionary family in the context of waging an armed revolution.
Ka M: “As a mother, I try to attend to my child’s needs while fulfilling my duties as a Red fighter. For example, we give our full trust to the masses to ensure the safety of our children and that their needs are met.”
“As partners, husband and I are assigned to different guerilla units located far away from each other most of the time. Thus, we make sure that our requests for visits and reunions are put forward to our respective collectives in a timely manner.”
Ka Mabini: “First of all, it must be recognized that society puts a heavy pressure on women, especially mothers, that they must be responsible for their children. Especially among the ranks of Red fighters, we must overcome this preconceived notion dictated by society that the woman, the mother is confined only to reproductive roles. In this sense, it is important to understand that the woman’s place is in the struggle.
For a Red fighter, it is not only your own child’s welfare that counts when it comes to decision-making. As an NPA and Party member, we serve the revolution to secure the future not only of our own children but for Philippine society as a whole. Most of the time, we cannot be with our children, who are usually taken care of by the masses since we are in the midst of a people’s war.
Any NPA member has the right to have a family, but it is important to put this in the context of waging a revolution. This means that we are in the context of war where the NPA’s duty as well as the welfare of the Party and the entire revolutionary movement prevail over and guide the process of raising a revolutionary family.”
