Comrades and friends,
On behalf of the leadership and the entire membership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), together with all Red fighters and commanders of the New People’s Army (NPA), we stand in unwavering solidarity with everyone gathered here today at the UP Asian Center—our beloved comrades, friends, and kin of Comrade Luis Jalandoni.
The entire Party and people’s army join you in honoring the revolutionary life of Ka Louie. Across the nation, the Red flag flies high and proud, a symbol of our recognition and tribute to Ka Louie—a true hero of the Filipino people’s struggle.
For decades, Ka Louie served the people with unyielding humility—as a priest, Red fighter, political prisoner, union organizer, teacher, peace negotiator, and servant of the people’s cause. He devoted his entire life to the oppressed and exploited masses, demanding no reward but driven by pure revolutionary zeal. On the global stage, he fiercely represented the National Democratic Front, standing firm for the interests of the Filipino people and embodying the democratic government of the people.
Fueled by the people’s burning desire for freedom and justice, and armed with the proletarian ideology, Ka Louie stood shoulder to shoulder with workers and peasants. From the haciendas of Negros to the picket lines of La Tondeña, he was at the forefront of the historic fight to end the reign of imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism.
The present generation of the Filipino people owes Ka Louie and the previous generations of revolutionaries and fighters before him. It is through their blood, sweat, and sacrifice in decades of armed and unarmed struggle that we have won victories in the fight for national and social liberation. Thousands upon thousands braved death and hardship to ignite the people’s resolve to rewrite the history of this nation and to rekindle the blazing fire of the national-democratic revolution.
Ka Louie’s life is truly exemplary, especially for the youth trapped in the darkness of crisis and despair today. His experience proves that amid oppression and exploitation, true joy and enlightenment are found only on the battlefield of struggle, among the masses forging a new dawn.
He is also a beacon for veteran revolutionaries. Though he retired from official duties in 2018, Ka Louie remained active until his last breath. At ninety years old, he never lost sight of the people’s cause for national freedom and genuine democracy. His entire life was a testament of unwavering loyalty to the Filipino people and all oppressed classes worldwide.
Ka Louie’s passing comes at a time when the nation is being dragged deeper into the fires of imperialist wars and the looming threat of US-instigated conflict in Asia. Under the command of imperialist masters, the Marcos regime unleashes brutal state terrorism to clear the path for ruthless land grabs, plunder of national wealth, and intensified oppression by foreign capitalists, comprador big bourgeoisie, bureaucrat capitalists, and landlords.
Now more than ever, the Filipino people and all revolutionaries must steel themselves with unbreakable courage and resolve—to defend the masses’ interests and to relentlessly advance the struggle for freedom. Let it be known: no matter how savage the imperialist beast and its lackeys may be, they will never prevail against a people united and justly uprising in revolt.
As we march forward on the arduous path of revolutionary struggle, especially the path of people’s war, we call on all who love the people to follow the example of Ka Louie and all our great heroes: Make every sacrifice necessary, dedicate every ounce of your intelligence and strength, until the last drop of sweat and blood, to seize the freedom we deserve.
Draw inspiration from Ka Louie’s life and legacy. Let the undying aspiration of the Filipino people for national democracy and socialism blaze eternally in our hearts and minds.
Long live the memory of Ka Louie!
Long live the National Democratic Front!
Long live the New People’s Army!
Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Long live the Filipino people!
