Mindanao Commission on the 36th anniversary of the CPP

Mindanao Commission
Communist Party of the Philippines
December 26, 2004

Today is a momentous occasion�the 36th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines which was reestablished on December 26, 1968. This occasion is graciously being celebrated by the whole organization of the Party together with the oppressed Filipino masses nationwide.

With utmost joy we celebrate today�s momentous event as the Party continues to become more formidable in the advancement of the national democratic revolution to attain genuine liberation and democracy for the Filipino people. The Party has triumphed in the midst of adversity and relentless efforts of the class enemies to weaken and crush the movement. Every year since its reestablishment, and especially since the 2nd Great Rectification Movement, the Party has reaped many victories in the various arenas of the struggle.

Here in Mindanao, the Party has painstakingly carried out its task of spreading the democratic revolution in the whole island. We are greatly pleased of the many successes in the implementation of these tasks. The Party has effectively led the masses in advancing the protracted people�s war and the open democratic mass movement. Support for the Party is swelling especially from the ranks of workers, peasants, petty-bourgeoisie and the special groups such as the Moro and the Lumad.

Presently, the Party is firmly entrenched in all the regions of Mindanao under which are the standing committees in the guerilla fronts, a number of inter-provincial committees and town committees. Several Party branches are also found in many localities�in the barrios, in urban poor communities, in schools, factories and some offices. Party membership has reached to several thousands, increasing by about 33% from the previous year.

The Party is at the core of the leadership of the New People�s Army in carrying out the armed struggle as the principal form of struggle to defeat the exploitative and oppressive ruling system led by US imperialism and its present puppet, the Macapagal-Arroyo regime. The NPA has successfully launched 60 tactical offensives where it has confiscated some 150 high powered firearms. The People�s Army operates in 20 provinces, 200 towns and 1,500 barrios. In numerous localities, the NPA has established the people�s democratic government. And in the barrios, thousands of peasant masses have benefited from the successful anti-feudal mass struggles such as increasing wages for farm workers, reducing the land and mill rent, and raising prices on their farm produce. There are also mass campaigns that have been launched to increase farm production, for health, cultural development, defense of ancestral domain, and others. The Party has also led open mass struggles pertaining to many national and local issues. It is in the forefront of the struggle against increasing intervention of US military troops which violates the national sovereignty, against the widespread corruption in the reactionary government, the wanton increases in the prices of oil and basic commodities, exorbitant electricity and water bills, high cost of education, in the struggle to defend the right to form unions, to increase the wages of workers and for their welfare, in the rights of the Moro and Lumad people, in the defense of human rights and justice for slain journalists, and many others. Many workers and employees have attained economic benefits as a result of successful mass struggles that were launched. Many people have been enlightened about the truth on relevant issues besetting Philippine society through the Party�s sustained propaganda work. Clearly, the Party�s influence has expanded among the broad masses of people as can be seen in added victories achieved in the arena of parliamentary struggle.

The Party and the revolutionary organizations it leads have also successfully maintained alliances with other progressive organizations. The Party maintains good relations with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The Party has also broadened its relations with other progressive sectors within the Catholic and Protestant churches as well as within the academe, mass media, and with a number of civilian bureaucrats and the military in the reactionary government. This signifies the ever expanding progressive united front that advances the struggle for people�s welfare and the struggle for genuine justice and peace.

These victories mean the strengthening of the Party and of its capacity to advance the people�s struggles. The few setbacks that it has suffered have not sidetracked the revolution. The revolutionary struggle under the leadership of the Party continues to surge forward.

As a new year of struggle approaches, the Party will surely achieve more victories. Such is inevitable because the Party continues to uphold the correct line and policies that serve the interest of the masses under the present conditions that are severely bred by the economic, political and social crisis of the ruling system. This crisis cannot be solved by the ruling system and the path to its resolution can only be found in the national democratic revolution under the leadership of the Party. The Filipino people will not remain enslaved under the present rotten social system. They will seek for a bright future. This cannot be prevented by the deception and terrorism of the Macapagal-Arroyo regime and its US imperialist master.

We are now challenged to further strengthen the Party and invigorate the revolutionary movement that is being led by the Party. Let us intensify our fortitude and creativity in carrying out our tasks in advancing the revolution. And for our allies, sympathizers and the broad masses, let us consolidate our unity and intensify our class-based and national struggles to hasten the defeat of the US-Macapagal Arroyo regime.

Our future is bright. The difficulties and sacrifices are temporary.

Long live the Party!
Long live the national democratic revolution!
Victory for the oppressed masses!

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