Health students gathered for an assembly and the formal establishment of a Makabayang Samahang Pangkalusugan (MSP) chapter on August 2 at an undisclosed location. The MSP is the health workers’ revolutionary organization and a National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) allied organization.

MSP’s publication Ang Rebolusyonaryong Lunas reported that students from various universities and young professionals including doctors attended the gathering. Opening the program, the assembly reportedly discussed the history of MSP’s founding in 1978 during the height of the US-Marcos dictatorship’s martial law.

According to a news item from the Ang Bayan’s May 1979 issue, the MSP established the organization’s program during its first national conference held on December 30, 1978. It’s 7-point program is:

1. Fight imperialist domination in the Philippines’ health industry.

2. Oppose the use of health as an instrument of the fascist US-Marcos dictatorship.

3. Develop health programs to strengthen the revolutionary mass movement both in urban and rural areas.

4. Gather the broadest possible health sector support for the armed struggle.

5. Uphold the democratic rights of health workers to organize and to fight for their genuine welfare.

6. Act to reorient the health education system and propagate a national and democratic consciousness on health.

7. Promote solidarity with all progressive health workers overseas and seek their support for the revolutionary struggle.

Apart from MSP’s history, the students from the health sector assembly tackled the situation of the revolutionary movement in the country led by the Communist Party of the Philippines. The delegates recognized the importance of the ongoing rectification movement in the revolutionary struggle, which is primarily a movement for study.

A doctor also shared his experience in providing services to the New People’s Army (NPA) Red fighters inside a guerrilla front. He recounted how Red medics persevered despite limited resources.

A student nurse likewise shared her experience of integrating with the people’s army. She said that comrades’ lives in the countryside is completely different compared to the comfortable and convenient life in the city. She further shared that comrades in the guerrilla front strengthened her revolutionary spirit, and that experience affirmed the correctness of the revolution being pursued.

The major activities in the program included the election of the unit’s officers. The assembly appointed the chairperson, vice chairperson, and three members who will lead specific tasks: propaganda-campaign-education, financial-technical-material support, and health service and training.

The assembly formally closed with the singing of “Awit ng Pag-asa” (Song of Hope) and “The Internationale.” According to Ang Rebolusyonaryong Lunas, “health students understand the great responsibility, especially now, to continue to arouse, organize, and mobilize to reject US imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism.”

The publication further stated that the chapter’s formation is a historic and major step for health students because it proves that the sector embraces the people’s democratic revolution as the only solution to the worsening crisis and hardship of the Filipino people. “With fists raised, they firmly uphold the fundamental principles of MSP and will courageously carry out the tasks for the victory of the national democratic struggle with a socialist perspective,” it said.