Fifty years is five decades of resistance for national liberation and genuine democracy. Five decades of advancing the national democratic movement and of mass struggle against the fascist dictatorship of puppet regimes from Marcos Sr. to Marcos Jr. Five decades of revolutionary alliance of mass organizations under the banner of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP)—uniting the nationalist Filipino people across multiple sectors, in different parts of the country and the world towards the new democratic revolution.

The rotten Marcos II regime has done nothing but inflict harm against the oppressed masses of Negros Island in the countryside. They have ceaselessly bombed the mountains of south central Negros, kidnapped peasant farmers, harassed women and children, and shed the blood of our people with no remorse. Marcos Jr and his cohorts plunder the people’s hard-earned money to fund the fascist Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP), continuing the legacy of his dictator father to the tyrant Rodrigo Duterte. Certainly, Marcos’ new special task force for peace in Negros is nothing but a sham. It is an instrument to further broaden their militaristic tyranny over the island. The late Negros Oriental Governor Roel Degamo’s death is not an issue of peace and order but is only a product of the violence, corruption and impunity that reek within the system of the reactionary government.

The only solution to these problems will be by the Filipino people, and the only just answer is revolutionary armed struggle. With the intensifying presence of the US military after the lapdog Marcos virtually surrendering the sovereignty of the Philippines to the imperialists in exchange for investments and more loans that will burden the already toiling masses. We are forced to be involved in an inter-imperialist conflict between the US and China that would put us in the crossfire of their weapons.

Every day, our obstacles steepen. Amid all these, the Filipino people, under the banner of the NDFP must unite keenly to preserve our land, our rights, and our life. Thus, Kabataang Makabayan (KM)-Negros answers to the call to cultivate the NDFP’s national democratic program and persist at every hour to arouse, organize, and mobilize our people as a people united will never be defeated. The five decades of the NDFP only proves the persisting clamor of the Filipino people for genuine change built upon the ashes of semifeudalism and semicolonialism.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the NDFP, KM-Negros also remembers the sacrifices of our comrades who led revolutionary lives but were taken from us too early. They served the people in the highest form possible. The fascist Philippine Army is mistaken that taking their lives will weaken the revolution, but in truth their death sparks more fire in the forest of the people’s war.

KM-Negros reaffirms its perpetual support to the people’s democratic revolution. We will not only pick up the threads of consolidating our members and expanding our ranks, but also untiringly commit to the revolutionary armed revolution launched in the countryside. The nationalist and democratic youth of Negros will rise up, take up arms, and join the struggle for genuine democracy and national liberation!

Long live the National Democratic Front of the Philippines! Advance the Filipino people’s democratic revolution!