Accelerate the large, rapid and all-sided advance of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the revolutionary movement in the coming year

Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal
Spokesperson
Communist Party of the Philippines
December 26, 2002

I salute all the Filipino revolutionaries on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of our beloved Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). I also salute all the comrades who have sacrificed their lives to advance the people's democratic revolution.

The conditions are exceedingly favorable in order to make the large, rapid and all-sided advance of the revolutionary movement in the next year and for years to come.

The extraordinary intensification of the crisis of the ruling system will continue to exacerbate next year due to Macapagal-Arroyo's out-and-out puppetry to US imperialism, the overly brutal fascist terrorism and the gross corruption especially in Malacañang.

The economy will decline further in 2003. It is estimated that the budget deficit, the foreign debt, the peso devaluation and unemployment will reach unprecedented heights. Government funds and incoming capital are extremely in short supply. And Arroyo's desperate plan is once again tied to increasing the government debt, foreign borrowing and the taxes to be imposed on the people.

The hardships borne by the people as a result of liberalization, deregulation, privatization, denationalization and other policy dictates of the IMF are extremely harsh. Production is down. The ranks of the unemployed are swelling. Wages are low. The peasants are losing money. The local entrepreneurs are hard up. Despite all this, Arroyo continues to implement neo-liberalization.

The modernization of agriculture is supposedly the key program at present. However, what she actually would like is to transform the country to become large plantations of uncommon export crops and to become ever dependent on the importation of rice and primary foodstuffs.

The puppetry of Macapagal-Arroyo to the super-terrorist US is outright. She is doing everything to gratify the world's number one terrorist. The status of the Philippines as one large military base of the US has just been reinforced with the signing of the Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA). The number of US troops on long-term basing in the Philippines is now the biggest since the closure of the US military bases in 1991. The US now intends to use the Philippines as a staging ground for waging a war on Iraq, something that the US is itching to do.

War without rules

The all-out terrorist war of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime is extremely harsh. This is a war without rules. It causes severe difficulties, not for the New People's Army (NPA), but on the ordinary people in the countryside. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has made Mindoro a laboratory for a counterrevolutionary campaign, that is unparalleled in its brutality, which they intend to carry out in other territories where the NPA operates throughout the country. Macapagal-Arroyo fully supports the widespread and relentless abuses in Mindoro. Her sickening act of awarding a medal to Col. Jovito Palparan "the Butcher of Mindoro" is a virtual approbation of the abusive and notorious 204th Brigade.

The record of Task Force Banahaw and the units under it is also bloody; as is Task Force Seagull and the 2nd Infantry Division (ID) in Southern Tagalog and the 5th ID in Northern Luzon; the 702nd Brigade in Nueva Ecija; the 202nd Brigade in Rizal; the 203rd Brigade and the 1st and 4th Marine Brigades in Camarines Norte and Sur; the 302nd Brigade in Bohol; the 303rd Brigade and the 61st IB in Negros; the Task Force Panay and the 12th IB in Panay; the 4th ID in Northeastern Mindanao; the 6th ID in South and Far South Mindanao; and the various units of the Southern Command that have recklessly intruded into Basilan, Jolo, Zamboanga, Maguindanao, Lanao and other places of the Moro people.

Arroyo is so engrossed in waging war in the name of anti-terrorism. She has run roughshod over the peace negotiations. She has cast away all the previous agreements between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP). For her, the peace talks are a mere hindrance to her outright puppetry to the US and to the terrorist war against the revolutionary movement.

The church, the political opposition, her allies, and even the various progressive and patriotic organizations have criticized her scuttling of the peace talks. They have overwhelmingly rejected Macapagal-Arroyo's claim that 95 percent of the people support her all-out war. This was further refuted recently in a survey by Pulse Asia in which 68 percent of those questioned was in favor of the peace talks.

The people have broadly condemned the labeling of the CPP/NPA as "terrorist" and are opposed to Malacañang riding roughshod over the peace talks. That is why the regime was compelled to declare a four-day ceasefire in December and to express willingness to resume the peace talks with the NDFP.

We are always open to talk to any government that is willing to discuss and to agree to resolve the roots of the ongoing civil war and to attain genuine peace in the country. But the regime must prove that it indeed wants the talks to move forward.

On the issues of militarization, fascism and human rights violations, Macapagal-Arroyo is resembling Marcos even more. In many parts of the countryside, it is military power which reigns absolute, and civilian government is just a decoration.

On the issue of corruption, Macapagal-Arroyo resembles Estrada. If we come to think about it, she is uglier than Estrada when we consider the billions that the Arroyo couple and those around them have already stolen, especially now that they are tripping over each other to raise large funds for the elections in 2004.

It would be one big miracle if Macapagal-Arroyo were to win in 2004. She is banking on the consent of the US and is desperately accumulating an extensive electoral fund.

GMA may not stay much longer

Her popularity has sunk to an all-time low and she has become totally isolated because of her outright puppetry, overly brutal fascist terrorism and her unrestrained corruption. Those who are aspiring to replace her are increasing, and include her former and present allies. This results in worsening infighting among the reactionaries. The worsening oppression and repression of the people is generating widespread resistance in the cities and countryside.

The crisis of the ruling system is making it more evident that the people have no other alternative but to turn to the revolutionary movement. The Party and the revolutionary movement have fully recovered from the big losses and setbacks it suffered due to past errors and weaknesses.

The Communist Party of the Philippines, the New People's Army and the revolutionary mass organizations have consistently gained strength in the past three years after the rectification movement of 1992-1998. The organized masses, the scope and strength of the Party have now equaled or have even surpassed the peak strength reached in the middle of the 1980's. These are the concrete results of the successful waging of the rectification movement and the reaffirmation of the basic revolutionary principles. The unity of the revolutionary movement and the people has grown deeper and sturdier.

More than ever, the CPP and the revolutionary movement have become stronger and are in a more favorable position to advance in large strides, rapidly and comprehensively in the coming years.

The CPP and the revolutionary movement emphasize the advancement of the people's struggles for their democratic and legitimate interests and against the anti-people and anti-national programs, schemes and policies of the Bush��Macapagal-Arroyo conspiracy.

The revolutionary forces in the countryside will further strengthen the agrarian struggle against feudalism and the other struggles of the peasantry against the devastation caused by imperialist "globalization" and the neo-liberal programs of the regime. In the cities, the revolutionary forces will further intensify the struggles of the workers, semi-proletariat, ordinary employees and other oppressed sectors for their respective democratic and livelihood interests. The revolutionary mass organizations, the united front and the organs of political power in the guerrilla zones will be continuously expanded and consolidated.

The victorious tactical offensives of the NPA in the past few months show the determination of the CPP/NPA to advance and to intensify the revolutionary armed struggle.

More frequent, numerous and bigger NPA offensives

In the year 2003, the NPA is prepared to carry out more numerous, more frequent and bigger tactical offensives against the AFP and other fascist machineries of the reactionary state. We expect the NPA to achieve more victories in the field of armed struggle.

The CPP and the revolutionary forces uphold the broadest unity of the patriotic forces against the armed intervention and meddling of US imperialism and the outright puppetry of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime. The CPP is prepared to unite with the patriotic and democratic forces and broad masses of the people in order to oust Macapagal-Arroyo from Malacañang.

The darkness brought about by the worsening crisis of the ruling system is being shattered by the light shone by the Communist Party of the Philippines and the revolutionary movement for the Filipino people. Wherever the organizing and mass struggles advanced by the Party is strong, especially in the guerrilla zones, this light shines in the concrete victories and benefits reaped by the people.

These victories further strengthen the determination of the CPP in advancing the people's democratic revolution. On the occasion of our 34th anniversary, let us celebrate these victories of the Filipino proletariat and people. In the coming year, let us strive to achieve even bigger and more victories in all aspects of the revolutionary movement.

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