The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) extends its warmest revolutionary greetings to the Makabayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan (Makibaka) on the 50th anniversary of its foundation. Over the past five decades, the Makibaka has been at the forefront of the struggle of Filipino women to end gender oppression against women and in mobilizing them to fight imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism.

Fifty years ago today, the Makibaka held its founding congress where it formally established its organization in order to consolidate its achievements in mobilizing women workers and students in the First Quarter Storm, the Diliman Commune and other upheavals since 1970. It changed its name from “Malayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan” to Makabayang Kilusan ng Bagong Kababaihan to underscore the fact that the struggle for the liberation of women in the Philippines is firmly connected to the struggle for national democracy.

The Makibaka was a trailblazer in shattering the stereotyped image of women as meek and having no role in society, much less in social transformation. The women of Makibaka denounced and fought the feudal and patriarchal social structures and demanded that women be recognized and be given equal rights in the family, workplace, society and revolution. Makibaka has also inspired other oppressed genders to defend their rights and take active part in social transformation.

Makibaka drew inspiration from women proletarian revolutionaries as well as from the rich history of women’s participation and leadership in the Philippine revolution. Makibaka took to the streets and picketlines to link arms with fellow workers, peasants, youth and other classes in their day to day struggles and resistance against the corrupt, fascist and puppet reactionary state.

When martial law was imposed, Makibaka went underground and continued to to its work of arousing, organizing and mobilizing women. It was among the founding organizations allied with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines. Despite working underground for the past five decades, Makibaka continues to effectively perform its tasks of raising the Filipino women’s revolutionary consciousness and mobilizing them for the national democratic revolution. In the guerrilla fronts, revolutionary peasant women are organized under Makibaka, which also serves as among the foundation for building the organs of political power.

From the ranks of Makibaka have emerged communist cadres of the Party and Red fighters and commanders of the New People’s Army. They continue to prove that women are co-equals of men in performing the various tasks in waging revolution. The leading committees of the Party at various levels has its fair share of women cadres, and in many cases, perform key roles of leadership. Women also play an equal role within the NPA serving as commanders, teachers and medics as with men.

Makibaka must draw inspiration from its past achievements and recall the life of selfless commitment to the revolution of its heroes and martyrs. Indeed, the work of Makibaka is far from over.

Filipino women continue to suffer from grave forms of oppression as workers and peasants, and as women in their homes and workplaces. The feudal and patriarchal structures and culture of misogyny continue to dominate. Over the past six years, while promoting the culture of fascist impunity, Rodrigo Duterte also promoted the culture of impunity against women, a clear manifestation of the putrid and rotten semicolonial and semifeudal system.

We call on Makibaka to continue its revolutionary task of arousing, organizing and mobilizing Filipino women for the Philippine revolution. As allies, the Makibaka, the CPP and NPA must continue to work together to continue strengthening the role of women in the Philippine revolution.

Long live Makibaka!

Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!

Long live the revolutionary women’s movement!

Long live the Philippine revolution!