The New People’s Army (NPA)-Negros Island (Apolinario Gatmaitan Command) called on its units and commands and all revolutionary forces to work together to support and help the Negrosanon masses affected by the Kanlaon volcanic eruption. The volcano erupted on June 3 and communities in Central Negros experienced lahar torrents on June 6 as a result of heavy rains.

“All guerrilla fronts are tasked to lead efforts in gathering support from revolutionary mass organizations, various sectors and allies for immediate aid,” Ka Maoche Legislator, NPA spokesperson on the island, said.

In the report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on June 9, 8,478 families (almost 30,000 people) in 24 barangays have been affected by the volcanic eruption. The damage it brought to the agricultural sector is estimated to reach ₱10 million.

Ka Maoche said the Kanlaon Volcano eruption doubled the suffering of the Negrosanon people as they have not yet recovered from the drought during El Niño. “Instead of concrete and legitimate assistance, the Marcos Jr regime has settled with mere performative acts of giving unsustainable aid for politicking and military propaganda,” added Ka Maoche.

Just last week, the 303rd IBde declared that it would not relax its combat operations in the countryside while conducting “disaster response.” On several occasions, the military used “assistance and aid distribution” for counterinsurgency campaigns and forced the “surrender” of civilians on the island.

Every time it distributes several kilos of rice and cans, the military takes photographs and sometimes attaches captions claiming that Red fighters of the people’s army have “surrendered”. This military usurpation of civilian functions is implemented through the anti-civilian National Task Force-Elcac.

In the face of this, it is necessary for the Negrosanon masses to collectively demand fair compensation from the reactionary government for the excessive damage they suffered in the successive calamities during El Niño and the Kanlaon Volcano eruption.

“The succeeding calamities have exacerbated landlessness and buried the Negrosanon masses in perennial destitution and hunger,” Ka Maoche said. He added that agrarian revolution, a component of revolutionary armed struggle, must be pursued to solve centuries of feudal and semifeudal oppression and exploitation on the island.