Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-Negros calls for the proliferation of cultural and propaganda groups and cultural work amid heightened repression and suppression as its regional publication, Ang Paghimakas, celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Ang Paghimakas was first published a few months after the declaration of martial law in September 1972 which, according to CPP Negros, “manifested the Negrosanons opposition to Marcos’ dictatorship and their determination to pursue building the revolutionary movement and the NPA on the island.”

“Ang Paghimakas’ 50th year celebration is an apt reminder of how propaganda and cultural work is imperative to advance the people’s war,” it stated.

The anniversary issue of Ang Paghimakas released yesterday featured the second part of the publication’s interview with National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) Senior Adviser Ka Luis Jalandoni.

Jalandoni, the first editor-in-chief of Ang Paghimakas, shared his experience during martial law and how the revolutionary newsletter commenced.

“Pila lang ka gatos ang amon na imprinta. Pero ang pamatyag namon, daku na kadalag-an ang nahimo namon. Nakabato kami sa laye militar! Nabalitaan namon ang pagbaton sang pumuluyo sa mga aksyon sang mga NPA,” he said.

(We were only able to print a few hundred copies. But we felt the big victory we accomplished. We fought martial law! We received news of how the people embraced the [tactical offensives] of the NPA.)

18 NPA actions since October 2022
Ang Paghimakas summed up tactical offensives launched by guerrilla fronts under the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command-New People’s Army Negros Island (AGC-NPA) in the last five months which totalled to 18 military actions that killed not less than 22 “butcher soldiers” and wounded another 22, and confiscated six short firearms, one shotgun and ammunitions.

Meanwhile, 145 incidents of human rights violations (HRV) involving more or less 20,000 individuals were monitored by Ang Paghimakas from October 2022 to February 2023 which “showed that HRVs worsened under the current Marcos regime.”

A brief story of Mao Zedong’s life was also featured in its section Iskulhaws with a short review of Mao’s three articles expounding on dialectics: On Practice (July 1937), On Contradiction (August 1937) and Where do Correct Ideas Come From? (May 1963).

Moreover, CPP Negros’ ideological work was tackled in its news feature on the successful conduct of its intermediate Party course in two guerrilla fronts and a military training course in Central Negros despite on-going massive counter-insurgency operations of state forces.

Martyred NPA commanders were the focus of its section Pulang Saludo giving a background on the life of five young NPA officers “who chose to offer their highest sacrifice for the emancipation of the oppressed and exploited.”

“They are examples of youth showing genuine love for their country,” it stated.

Other articles on the issue were on the 21-gun salute performed by Red fighters of AGC-NPA for Ka Joma Sison and their celebration of CPP’s 54th anniversary, the importance of propaganda work in guerrilla fronts, on protests and mass campaigns throughout Negros and on amoebiasis and its remedies.

The song Singgit Namon Hustisya written by Ka Preno was also featured in memory of the victims of Oplan Sauron 1 and 2. ###

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Ang Paghimakas was first published in the last quarter of 1972 to condemn Marcos’ Martial Law and show the resistance of the people. Now released in hiligaynon, with english and bisaya translations of its editorial, it can be downloaded through its website, www.negrosrevportal.wordpress. com, and CPP’s national website, philippinerevolution. nu.