Agham Bayan (People’s Science), the official publication of the Liga ng Agham para sa Bayan (LAB or People’s Science League,) came out with a new issue last December 2021. The publication first came into circulation in the 1970s but was stopped in the 1990s. Agham Bayan is back to popularize and promote the analyses, programs, campaigns and revolutionary activities of revolutionaries in the science and technology sector.

In this issue, revolutionary scientists and technologists stood firm against the return of the Marcoses and the perpetuation of the Dutertes in power through the 2022 elections. They described the science and technology outlook under the current system as “bleak.”

“Research and development (R&D) and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education continue to be the last priority of the government,” according to the paper’s editorial. “Brain drain will persist as scientists and engineers are forced to go to other countries because of the lack of jobs and opportunities in the country,” it said. At the same time, projects and research that help develop the local economy and truly serve the people are disregarded.

Second Congress

The paper also wrote about LAB’s Second Congress held in December 12, 2020. The Congress’ theme was “Expand and Strengthen the League of Science for the People, contribute to the Development of Revolutionary Mass Movement and Armed Resistance in the Countryside.” It affirmed its belief that only through the victory of the national democratic revolution with a socialist perspective will science and technology fully develop and truly flourish in the Philippines.

The Congress approved the summing up of experiences and practices of organizing scientists for the past two decades. The three-year program of LAB, formed from the lessons of the summing up documents, was presented and approved by the delegates. The three-year program’s strategic call is to “Further advance the anti-fascist, anti-feudal and anti-imperialist movement and defeat the fascist Duterte regime.”

LAB aims to organizing organize tens of mass organizations with hundreds of members. Presently, it has chapters in government agencies, academe, and industry with several hundreds of members. Among LAB’s tasks is to daringly organize and to develop understanding of the science and principles of revolution.

The Congress reviewed the LAB Constitution and orientation and elected a new set of officers. It elected Trinidad Ramirez as its president for the next three years. On his part, Ramirez hoped for more fruitful years for the league.

The LAB is an allied organization of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) among scientists, technologists, engineers, environmentalists, science educators, students, and advocates. LAB was founded on December 26, 1975 by members of the Progresibong Samahan sa Inhinyerya at Agham and Samahan ng Makabayang Syentipiko. It became a part of the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship.

It weakened towards the latter part of the 1980s, after it was affected by revisionism and sectarianism which afflicted the entire revolutionary movement then. Among its major errors was sectoralism and legalism. It also failed in expansion and consolidation.

Together with the entire revolutionary movement, LAB reaffirmed the basic principles of people’s democratic revolution during the early part of the 1990s. In 1996, it held its First Congress to revitalize and expand the organization.