On the 126th celebration of the sham Independence Day of the Philippines on June 12, the country has never come close to genuine freedom and independence. History has taught us that a hundred years of subjugation under Spain, Japan, and the imperialist US has brought our country to its knees, but it has also taught us of collective strength and the undeniable tenacity and persistence of the decades-long resistance and revolution of the Filipino people. It has given us the greatest opportunity to organize and wage people’s protracted war. The Christians for National Liberation, the underground political organization of revolutionary Christians, believes that only through the completion of the National Democratic revolution with a socialist perspective, can bring us closer to shalom and genuine freedom and independence from the incursion of imperialist countries led by the US and then China.

The Philippines continues to be one of the poorest among nations. Under US colonialism, the Philippine economy has been heavily influenced by the control and dictates of the US colonial pattern of trade. For years, the Philippines has been a source of cheap labor and raw materials, a profitable exploitation of resources. This unjust economic system has been detrimental to the Philippines, keeping it fundamentally stunted for the benefit of US imperialism, big compradors, and landlords. This corrupted economic system has also failed to mechanize agriculture, which could have benefited our peasants, farmers, and farm workers since the Philippines is an agricultural country and, thus, has maintained a backward economy throughout Philippine history.

The Philippines is also among the worst countries for workers. Throughout various autocratic regimes, workers have not been supported and have had no effective access to their rights. They have been subjected to severe unfair labor practices, insecure jobs, and significant threats to their lives and their families.

The country is under continuous and ongoing militarization and foreign domination by the US. This is very much apparent under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA, now coupled with the new Philippines Enhanced Resilience Act (PERA) of 2024. This has ultimately and undeniably increased the country’s vulnerability to graver threats from the incursion of the US, especially under the reactionary Marcos II regime. The PERA ACT purportedly aims to bolster and modernize the U.S.-Philippines alliance by significantly increasing U.S. security military aid or assistance. The continued and increased presence of US Bases and facilities in the Philippines has led to even more bombings and other violations of human rights and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) of the Filipino people, and a violation of our sovereignty. As with all puppet Philippine regimes, Marcos Jr has made the Philippines a war playground in Southeast Asia and a pawn in the brewing US-China inter-imperialist war.

The Christians for National Liberation stresses the importance of organizing, and waging revolution. The united front, in support of the armed struggle, should chart our way to genuine freedom from oppression and imperialism. We are one in defeating imperialism, the US and China, including all reactionaries and their cohorts, and the ruling elite, those who keep the status quo and the presence of exploitation in the lives of the Filipinos. For the CNL, only through the armed revolution coupled with a firm faith in the people’s struggle and history is the key to genuine democracy and freedom. The CNL firmly believes that reforms and other band-aid measures through sham land reform programs, and the bourgeois elections have only extended the suffering of the Filipino people. This has only worsened prolonged systemic oppression.

We reiterate and continue to uphold CNL’s plan from its 9th congress: to consolidate and expand our ranks; participate and support the armed struggle; participate in the anti-fascist, anti-imperialist and anti-feudal open mass movement and parliamentary struggle; push the peace negotiations between the Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and Philippine government; win over the leadership of the institutional church to support the national democratic revolution (NDR) and deprive its support to the reactionaries; and mobilize the international network to support the NDR; and participate in the global anti-imperialist struggle against fascism and war. The CNL with all its might and heart will continue to forge on the revolution. We have a rich history and background of ground resistance from the Katipunan (old type) and now continuing to the new type. This is what we hold on to.

Under the leadership of the proletarian party, continuing under the new type of revolution, the Communist Party of the Philippines, along with its armed wing, the New People’s Army, we continue to solidify our efforts and be part of the revolution as Christians who believe in the strength of the people to overturn their circumstances and redirect history. Through the NDFP leadership, which pursues the revolutionary class line in the united front and promotes unity, cooperation, and coordination of all patriotic and progressive classes, sectors, and forces to fight for national liberation and democracy, the CNL vows to be united with the people, and overthrow the oppressive and exploitative ruling system—represented by the US-Marcos II regime. The CNL is also one in conducting proletarian internationalism and reciprocal solidarity with other oppressed peoples of the world fighting US imperialism.

The CNL therefore, upholds the NDF’s 12-point program: to terminate all unequal relationships with the United States and other foreign entities (5); To implement genuine agrarian reform, promote agricultural cooperation, and ensure agricultural sustainability and employment through modernization of agriculture and rural industrialization (6). Thus, this also comes with the breaking of the US-big comprador-landlord dominance over the economy, thus building robust national industrialization that will pave the way to an independent and self-reliant economy (7). Lastly, to adopt an independent and peaceful foreign policy that will serve the Filipino people (12).

In the words of the great revolutionary Prof. Jose Maria Sison (Struggle for National Democracy, 1967):” Let us above all strive for national democracy in this country. xxx That national unity can only be created if we are bound with the masses in a common struggle against U.S. imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism.”

Win the National Democratic Revolution with a Socialist Perspective!
Attain Greater Victories in the People’s War!
Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Join the New People’s Army!
Long live the National Democratic Front of the Philippines!
Long live the Filipino People!