By Jose Maria Sison
Dedicated to the 50th annniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of the Philippines
It took more than 300 years
For the Filipino nation to take shape
And shake off the colonial yoke
In hundreds of uprisings
Until the Katipunan and the people
Defeated the foe and won their freedom.
Since the imperialist bird of prey
Cast its shadow and dug its claws
On our beloved motherland,
It has been more than 100 years
That the people have continued to fight
For national and social liberation.
The last 50 years of the struggle
Has been most fruitful:
The revolutionary party of the proletariat,
The people’s army, the united front,
The mass movement of the oppressed
And the people’s government.
All these are ever growing in the archipelago
And advancing in waves against the foe
That rules the ever rotting system
Of greed and terror
And serves foreign masters
That the people of the world detest.
We see the rising trend of revolution
Amidst the crisis in the country and abroad
That inflicts intolerable suffering
And drives the people to struggle harder
For their soonest freedom from tyranny
And a bright future in socialism.
We struggle long for freedom,
We never give up no matter how long.
But we seize every moment
To strike a blow against the foe
And hasten the day of our liberation
From all oppression and exploitation.