The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) strongly condemned the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas (SCMB) Railway Project, pushed by the US and the Marcos regime under the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC). This project clearly serves the interests of US imperialism and foreign capitalists, while disregarding the welfare of the Filipino people, especially farmers and national minorities, the CPP said.
Under the agreement signed by the Marcos regime and the US Trade and Development Agency, billions of dollars will be poured into a railway that will connect US military bases in Luzon, extending toward Palawan and areas in the Visayas.
“This is not for the country’s genuine development, but primarily for the rapid movement of US soldiers, weapons, and military equipment,” said Marco Valbuena, CPP Chief Information Officer. “The SCMB Railway is part of the US strategy to strengthen its control over the Philippines and counter China’s rise in the region. This project is being used as a stepping stone for US military and geopolitical objectives, not for the benefit of Filipinos.”
The CPP claims that this project brings no real benefit to ordinary Filipinos. Instead, it will result in widespread displacement and forced eviction of hundreds of thousands of farmers and national minorities from their communities, Valbuena added.
Based on the bitter experiences of the people, the CPP explained that such projects result in large-scale land grabbing from farmers, loss of livelihoods, and the destruction of the culture of affected communities. Often, compensation and relocation promises are insufficient or unfulfilled, pushing displaced people deeper into poverty.
“The SCMB Railway and other LEC projects are being advanced not for the interests of the local economy, but for foreign business and military interests,” Valbuena said. “This will further bury the country in debt, while foreign companies are the real beneficiaries of our natural resources and cheap labor.”
The CPP calls on the Filipino people, especially workers, urban poor, farmers, and national minorities, to resolutely and militantly oppose the SCMB Railway Project and other militarist and hegemonic projects.
“True development can only be achieved through national industrialization and genuine land reform, not by surrendering our sovereignty and livelihoods to foreign interests,” Valbuena declared.
