Another coordinated offensive of combat, psywar, suppression operations and aerial bombardment is being mounted by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) in different guerrilla fronts across the country with the aim of preventing anniversary celebrations of the New People’s Army (NPA) on March 29.

Despite a severe crisis in the economy and people’s livelihood, billions upon billions of pesos are being squandered in the costly and corruption-ridden operations of the AFP and PNP. The fascists are crazed to use their new helicopters, drones, fighter planes, guns, cannons and bombs and its thousands of troops to strike fear among the people with their armed might.

Like in December, the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and the AFP and PNP vainly hope to stop the people and their revolutionary forces from marking the NPA’s anniversary. By wisely facing the large-scale operations of the AFP, NPA units succeeded in avoid defensive battles and deny the enemy targets of its combat operations and bombings. As a result, the AFP claimed fewer victories compared to March 2020 despite its nationwide offensive. More impor­tantly, by January, NPA units in different regions were able to mount tactical offensives against tired enemy troops who were running short of supply and set to return to camp after their failed offensive operations. From the start of 2021, the NPA has kept the number of defensives at a low rate compared to the number of its tactical offensives.

To avoid defensives and gain the initiative for mounting tactical offensives, NPA units must maintain a high degree of military discipline and continually improve guerrilla methods to avoid enemy detection either by drones or spies. They must closely monitor the movement of enemy units and read its offensive plans. While the NPA chooses its battles, it must also be always be ready to effectively fight the battles initiated by the enemy.

At the same time, the NPA must plan tactical offensives against the isolated enemy troops, against tactical outposts, supply lines and other soft targets. The AFP’s helicopters, drones, airplanes and other aerial assets are also prized targets of tactical offensives. The NPA must choose the most appropriate place, time and opportunity to mount tactical offensives.

The mass base of support for the people’s army must be strengthened continuously especially in the face of relentless and prolonged enemy operations under the AFP’s Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) which serves as veil to garrison villages to suppress the masses and separate them from their army. The links between the army and the masses must not be broken, persevere in strengthening the revolutionary mass organizations and waging agrarian struggles to benefit the masses. In the face of enemy presence, they must master using different forms of organizing and mass struggles combined with the armed struggles of the people’s army and militia units. Rely on the deep and wide mass support in collecting intelligence, ensuring supplies and augmenting NPA units in waging extensive guerrilla warfare.

While waging tooth-and-nail resistance in consolidated areas, NPA units must expand its area of operations. Mass struggles must be expanded, new organizations built and new guerrilla fronts established. Through continuous expansion, the enemy will be denied of focus areas and will be forced to stretch its forces and open more opportunities for offensive initiatives of the people’s army.

The AFP and Duterte have repeatedly failed in their yearly declaration of crushing the NPA. Their psywar and “surrender” drive have been exposed as a farce. Contrary to enemy propaganda, the NPA continues to enjoy deep and wide support among the masses in the countryside because it advances the struggle for genuine land reform and against all forms of oppression and exploitation. The NPA continues to serve as the peasant masses’ guide and asssistant in waging agrarian struggles. It continues to performs its tasks in production, economic, education, health, culture and other village affairs.

As in the past, the anniversary of the army and the Party is marked through different forms appropriate to the situation. In areas where there are no military operations, the masses can secretly assemble in the village or mountains. In areas saturated with enemy operating troops, the people and Red fighters can mount smaller activities. Big or small, these activities marking the NPA’s founding anniversary share the same significance to serve as an opportunity to remember the people’s heroes and martrys, celebrate achievements, point out weakenesses and further the will to shoulder the difficult tasks in advancing the people’s war.

The current situation of the war require the people’s army to make great sacrifices. These are needed to preserve the strength of the NPA, deepen mass support and defend the mass organizations and expand the NPA’s area of operations. These sacrifices are necessary to advance the Filipino people’s cause for national democracy.