“Without a people’s army, the people have nothing!”
Mao
This statement of Comrade Mao Zedong highlights the necessity of the New People’s Army in the Filipino people’s struggle for national and social liberation.
From 60 fighters with only 9 automatic rifles and 26 single shot guns in Central Luzon in 1969, the people’s army has grown to thousands of Red fighters, assisted by many more thousands of people’s militia in 73 provinces and more than 110 guerrilla fronts. They are armed with thousands of highpowered rifles, seized from the enemy in ambuscades. This has been achieved with the enthusiastic participation and support of the masses and the leadership of the proletarian revolutionary party.
At this stage of the people’s war in the Philippines, the tactical offensives of the people’s army and militia are necessary to advance the people’s war from the middle stage of the strategic defensive to the advanced stage of the strategic defensive and then onward to the threshold of the strategic stalemate.
The peope’s fighters have the deepest links with the masses whose participation and support is absolutely necessary. It is a reality that the people’s fighters are loved and cherished by the masses who willingly give their daughters and sons to join the New People’s Army. The people’s fighters serve the masses in resisting and fighting the military, police and paramilitary of the regime.
As the masses engage in production, literacy and education programs, health, land reform, culture, environmental protection, justice, self-defense, the people’s fighters are essential participants. So, indeed, they are cherished by the masses. The masses also provide the intelligence information to protect the NPA and to help in successful attacks against the enemy.
Under the leadership of the proletarian party, the people’s fighters are equipped with training, ideological and political education, and an iron discipline.
Thus, the people’s fighters combine tha armed struggle and tactical offensives over a wide area of the countryside with the agrarian revolution and the mass base building in numerous guerrila fronts. The Red fighters, the revolutionary masses, led by the Communist Party of the Philippines resolutely build the organs of political power. These constitute the ever-growing People’s Democratic Government (PDG).
The life of a Red fighter is difficult but it is meaningful and brings joy especially when interacting with the masses. There are sacrifices and threats to one’s life due to the war. But the people’s guerrillas are happy to fulfill their daily tasks.
As one interacts with masses, explains why they exist in such an oppressive situation, helps them in their work especially in production, defends them against enemy attacks, a close bond is established with the masses and they received the members of the New People’s Army like a son or a daughter. This makes one’s work more meaningful.
