On the occasion of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines’ (NDFP) 51st anniversary today, 24 April 2024, the Christians for National Liberation (CNL), the underground political organization of revolutionary Christians, extends its warmest greetings to the NDFP for its invaluable role as the revolutionary front of the Filipino people fighting for national freedom and for the democratic rights of the people since 1973. It is a distinctive united front organization for revolutionary armed struggle. CNL is an allied and founding member of the NDFP.

The NDFP is the formal revolutionary alliance of all patriotic and progressive forces, which includes the basic forces of the revolution: the working class, peasantry and urban petty bourgeoisie. It likewise represents abroad the organs of political power in the countryside. It has co-belligerency status vis-à-vis the Philippine government in the ongoing civil war in the country, and especially so during peace negotiations.

Its roles and responsibilities become more significant in the context of the ever-worsening conditions of the Filipino people brought about by imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism in general, and total puppetry of the Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. regime to US imperialism in particular. Promoting national unity for the revolutionary struggle, issuance of pronouncements on behalf of revolutionary forces upon their authorization and the conduct of proto-diplomatic and relations work abroad to gather moral, political, and material support for the revolutionary movement are among these.

CNL adheres to and promotes the NDFP’s 12-point program which is a comprehensive set of political and socio-economic policies for an independent, democratic, just, and progressive society. Its 12th program on the adoption of an active, independent, and peaceful foreign policy is especially relevant in the context of US imperialism’s warmongering against China using the Philippines as its forward military staging base.

The US, using his puppet Marcos Jr and the mercenary Armed Forces of the Philippines, is hyping tensions in the West Philippine Sea with increased military exercises, troop presence, and war materiel as a way to provoke China. This includes the conduct of the biggest ever Balikatan exercises in the country from April 22 to May 9 involving 16,700 troops in areas in or near Taiwan, another country the US is using to trigger China into a direct confrontation.

This means building the broadest possible unity to fight US imperialism’s war provocation to contain China at the Filipino people’s expense. CNL thus calls on its members and allies to build, and join alliances and formations opposing US imperialism’s evil design to drag the country into a war against China. The Marcos Jr regime must be held accountable for thrusting the country into the real threat of a possible war between the imperialists. China must be called out to respect the country’s territorial integrity, especially following the UN arbitral ruling upholding the Philippine position.

Christian revolutionaries have the duty to translate their faith in God into service to the people and country. Even as the church itself is reactionary, “progressives within the church should increase their ranks, strive to change the pro-imperialist and reactionary character and tendencies of the institutional church and officialdom and let the entire church become both a spiritual and social instrument for the liberation of the oppressed and exploited people.

There is an ample basis in the teachings of the church, in the tradition of Filipino revolutionary priests, and in the example of Catholic religious leaders elsewhere for the religious progressives of today to persuade the bishops, priests nuns, and the entire laity to take an active part in the just and noble movement to complete the struggle for national freedom and democracy.” (The Role of Church in Social Change, Prof. Jose Maria Sison, 1986)

Increased efforts must be made to make the church play a key role in opposing this inter-imperialist war at the cost of the Filipino people. This includes unmasking the imperialist beasts US and China and US puppetry of the Marcos Jr. regime, explaining the importance of an independent, foreign policy based on the Filipino people’s interests and the NDFP program which promotes this, providing all forms of support in waging through people’s war the national democratic revolution with a socialist perspective. It is painstaking arouse, organize and mobilize work to advance the revolution, especially by contributing red fighters to wage the highest form of struggle: armed struggle.

The Filipino people have a long history of fighting and defeating colonialists and imperialists, valiantly fought then by the Katipuneros, Hukbalahap, and now the New People’s Army, in all situations with the support of the masses. We must vigorously fight on all fronts these imperialist actions that directly place the country in danger.

US and China, Out of the Philippines!
Fight and defeat US imperialism!
Fight US warmongering versus China!
Consolidate and expand revolutionary mass organizations!
Long live the National Democratic Front of the Philippines!
Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Long live the New People’s Army!
Onward with the People’s War!
Long live the Filipino people!