Call from Ilocos-Cordillera:
Overcome obstacles! Advance in an all-round way!

Basahin ang artikulong ito sa Pilipino

The Ilocos-Cordillera Region held its conference in a guerrilla zone in Northern Luzon in July 1998.

The objectives of the conference were to advance the overall consolidation of the Party, complete the rectification movement and address problems critical to the sustained advance of the revolutionary movement in the region. The summing-up documents of Ilocos and Cordillera were ratified and the objective conditions of the two regions analyzed. Issues regarding the nature and organization of the CPDF were resolved. The revolutionary line on minority peasants was deepened. The conference also addressed the need to wage agrarian revolution. A new leadership was elected and a three-year program of action for the merged region was adopted.

The following article is based on the documents "Three-Year Summing-Up of Political Work" and "Program of Action of the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Party Organization" for 1999-2001, which were drafted and ratified by the conference.

In the past four years, the Ilocos-Cordillera region has been able to achieve small but significant victories in Party and political work both in the countryside and urban areas. The Party and revolutionary movement in the region have reached a level of consolidation and revolutionary vitality. The initial momentum gained in the performance of various revolutionary tasks was cited. The Second Great Rectification Movement saved the region from utter destruction. Major errors and deviations from the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist line in the ideological, political and organizational spheres and in the conduct of the Philippine revolution were overcome.

Nonetheless, the region has encountered many other major problems as well as obstacles to its sustained and all-round advance. This has to be resolved and overcome. It is also necessary to determine the direction of the Party and the revolutionary movement's expansion and consolidation and to further improve the disposition of forces in the entire region.

Strengthen the Party

The factors necessary to further develop the initial gains achieved in the past few years exist. The rectification movement in the region has to be completed in order to strengthen the Party in an all-round way.

In comprehending their own errors, Party cadres and members in the region have further tightened their embrace of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism. The conference issued a call to further raise the level of theoretical knowledge, especially of Party members in the basic levels. Implementing the three-level Party course serves as a weapon in effectively advancing revolutionary work.

Comrades have repudiated opportunist lines which wrought havoc on the movement in the region. In the realms of theory and practice, it is necessary to continuously eradicate the roots of the serious disorientations of the past. Even minor manifestations of militarism and insurrectionism must be resisted. Other forms of reformism, indigenism and localism must also be thoroughly vanquished.

The region bears distinction in having successfully defended the Party against splits and factionalism. Nonetheless, the significant damage wrought by disorientation has yet to be fully overcome. There is need to rapidly increase the number of Party members who will shoulder expanding tasks. The formation of the Ilocos-Cordillera regional Party organ is a step towards the continued strengthening of the Party.

Arouse, organize and mobilize the people for national democracy

The anti-imperialist, anti-feudal and anti-fascist mass movement that consolidates the people's revolutionary strength is gaining strength in the region. To further its advance, there is need to ever firmly and creatively merge the national-democratic line with the particularity of Ilocos and Cordillera.

In the Cordilleras, there is need to stress the issue of national oppression and the state's grabbing of ancestral lands from minority peoples. Revolutionary work among the latter should focus on their right to self-determination and for democracy.

In Ilocos, the operations and actual conspiracy among landlords and warlords must be exposed and resisted. They dominate reactionary politics and control the production and marketing of agricultural products. They are also the brains behind syndicates involved in smuggling, illegal gambling, drug trafficking and prostitution.

Antifeudal struggles must be advanced and the other demands of the basic masses of Ilocos achieved.

Consolidate the NPA and advance the armed struggle

It was the New People's Army in Ilocos and Cordillera that weakened and bore the brunt of the damage wrought by the errors and deviations of the past. The Army has repudiated these errors and is now restrengthening itself. Despite the fact that the Army is still small, Red fighters are overcoming all major obstacles.

Mass work in the countryside is gaining strength. The Party has called for the implementation and creative application of the agrarian revolution's minimum program to further develop the revolutionary peasant movement.

There is need to strengthen the people's will to participate in the armed struggle and raise the military capabilities of the NPA to launch tactical offensives.

All NPA units and Party organs shall give their utmost attention to the campaign for the mass recruitment of Red fighters. A strategic program is being drafted to resolve problems related to recruitment. Meanwhile, tactical measures are being undertaken to expand the ranks of the NPA.

Further strengthen the mass movement in the countryside and urban areas

There has been a slight increase in the number of organized masses and revolutionary organizations in the guerrilla zones this past year (1997-98). There is need to consolidate, determinedly strengthen and expand the existing guerrilla zones and strive to add to their number.

Problems blocking the invigoration of the militant mass movement in the Cordillera and Ilocos countryside must be decisively overcome. Conditions favorable to the consolidation and expansion of guerrilla zones and bases and the growth and strengthening of the people's army shall be created.

The revolutionary forces must be developed and revolutionary work and struggles must gain momentum in town centers. The latter shall provide political and organizational support to the guerrilla zones. In the town centers, attention shall be given to strengthening and advancing the peasant and fisherfolk movement alongside organizing the middle classes.

The mass movement in the cities shall be strengthened in a sustained manner. At present, it is the workers, semi-proletariat, youth and students and teachers who are at the core of the urban mass movement. These AB sectors must be linked to other sectors such as women, national minorities and various groups from the lower petty bourgeoisie and the middle forces. The revolutionary united front in the region shall be expanded from its present composition.

CONDITIONS IN THE REGION and in the entire country are extremely favorable to the further advance of the revolution. In order to take advantage of this situation, the revolutionary movement in Ilocos-Cordillera shall strive to overcome obstacles and advance in an all-round way. Guided by the Second Great Rectification Movement, the rapid advance of the revolutionary movement in the region is a certainty.

00 October 1998
English Edition

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