Correspondence Reports:
Lessons and victories in the agrarian struggle in Isabela

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

Forty-five leaders and members of the Pambansang Katipunan ng mga Magbubukid (PKM) from five towns of southern Isabela and Quirino province attended a peasant conference on September 22- 24.

Widespread mobilization and organization of the masses. The conference identified the factors that led to these victories. Foremost among them was the advance of municipal-level mass struggles that shattered conservatism in launching agrarian struggles and served as the key in stepping up the organization and mobilization of the masses.

In six months of waging struggle, over 1,300 people were organized into more than a hundred peasant, women and youth groups as well as groups of national minorities, children and middle forces. The establishment of a PKM chapter has also been initiated in southern Isabela, and many more organizing committees were set up.

Several hundred activists were developed and mobilized. Several hundred people were given revolutionary education during and after the campaign. Over 2,300 peasants from 45 barrios were mobilized to join confrontations with landlords. It has been some time since mobilizations of this size were last seen in the area.

Anti-feudal class line. The task of kicking off, sustaining and winning the campaign relied mainly on the strength of the basic strata of the peasantry. Once again, they proved to be the bedrock of the mass movement in the countryside. On this basis, entire barrios were mobilized, both the basic strata and middle peasants (including officials of traditional organizations and Barangay Councils), especially in the anti-usury campaign. In the course of the campaign, rich peasants (including guarantors and other extensions of the merchant usury system) were either won over or neutralized.

A significant number of middle forces linked up with and supported the peasant movement. Professionals in the barrios and town centers, local bureaucrats, church people and government employees established contact and gave political, financial and technical support. They also helped thwart military attacks on the peasant movement, win demands during the confrontations and ensure that the targeted landlords do not renege on agreements.

Readiness in propaganda and mobilization. The campaign was well prepared with all the requirements for sustained agitation, propaganda and mass mobilizations. Through the various forms of propaganda put out, such as leaflets, streamers, flyers and media releases as well as through speaking engagements in radio stations, the campaigners were able to reach out to broad sections of the masses. The organizers made sure that thousands would be mobilized to project the strength of the peasant movement. The vehicles, food supplies and contingency plans in case the AFP and the PNP tried to prevent the protest action were all readied.

Revolutionary mass organizations were formed and raised to a higher level to act as the campaign�s backbone and motor, while legal organizations were formed to coordinate the broad campaign.

The campaign reached out to and mobilized the masses creatively both through open and clandestine means.

Recruitment into the Party and the NPA. Above all, steps were taken to ensure that the campaign�s victory and advance served to expand and strengthen the New People�s Army, the Party and the people�s Red political power. The NPA recruited the equivalent of a regular platoon during and after the campaign. Many barrio youth were encouraged to join the army as they witnessed the NPA�s dedication in guiding the peasant movement. A significant number of integrees from the cities was also convinced to become fulltimers, mainly because they witnessed the NPA�s firm relationship with the masses, especially in advancing the agrarian revolution. There has also been a marked growth in Party membership in the locality, as well as an increase in the number of people�s militia. Once again, it has been proven that agrarian revolution is the key link and the thread that binds revolutionary work in the countryside.

21 October 2003
English Edition

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