Eric Lacsamana
NDF international representative
26 December 2022
The CC-CPP anniversary statement opens with – “ … we give extraordinary tribute to Ka Jose Maria Sison (Amado Guerrero), founding chairman of the CPP Central Committee, whose masterly grasp of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism guided the Party from its inception, infancy and growth. Ka Joma has bequeathed to us a treasure trove of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist works in which his immortal revolutionary spirit will forever live to guide the next generation of Party cadres to greater heights.”
What makes him an eminent successor to Marx Lenin and Mao and all other great communists is his total commitment and application of materialist dialectics on social science in the current struggle against monopoly capitalism. This is evidenced by his single-mindedness of purpose in pursuing the national democratic revolution in the Philippines and building antiimperialist movements globally towards socialism.
Such singled-mindedness in purpose is behind his indefatigability – in his utter sense of responsibility of leadership in waging revolution in the Philippines, and proletarian internationalism in taking the responsibility to contribute in international leadership. These can be in the different arenas of struggle of the people’s democratic revolution in the Philippines like the conduct of people’s war and all its components, the democratic mass movement, the broad national united front or the elections, and the peace process. This can also be in the different efforts to build up the international coordination of proletarian revolutionary parties and movements, developing Marxist theory in these times and in contributing to different international movements and initiatives against imperialism.
He is imbued with true optimism which is based on his correct analysis of objective conditions and the dialectical process of development whether in the Philippines or the world.
He is a master dialectician, in thought, word and deed. He is disciplined in discovering the process of development of struggle and interpenetration of opposites, and teasing through complex interspersed processes.
Thus, he is an effective problem solver. Known for his flexibility in finding solutions as well as in pushing the boundaries of multiplicity of tactics and initiatives to drive the strategies according to and contributing to the correct Marxist ideological and political line.
As a communist and revolutionary he is at one with the masses. Thus, he is very sociable in person especially to the toiling masses and comrades in arms. But he also recognizes and relates with the humanity of every person, even those members and agents of the ruling class who have good intentions (or not).
As Ka Joma grappled with his individual mortality and legacy, as each of us does, he wrote his final piece, “The Filipino People’s Democratic Revolution is invincible!” This piece is not about him but about the cause that he lived for. But I read it with trepidation in the context of which it was written towards the end of his mortal life, but it is indeed about the revolution and the (ideological and political) legacy he leaves us which are invincible.
The national democratic revolution of the Philippines and the cause of socialism are invincible. We now face the dawn of the defeat of imperialism and its lackeys. And the great and arduous struggle to claim the victory of the proletarian revolution is upon us in this century.
Ka Joma is the great warrior of the proletariat against imperialism. We all aspire to be like him as a revolutionary proletarian, a communist. While we do not expect to be equal in his contributions, we all strive to perform to fulfill our tasks for the revolution. We are all his successors to carry forward the legacy of Marx, Lenin and Mao and other great communist leaders Engels, Stalin, Ho, and Joma Sison to win a socialist future.#
