Liga ng Agham para sa Bayan – Bikol (LAB-Bikol) gives its full support with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the celebration of its 50th anniversary. Guided by Marxism-Leninsm-Maoism (MLM), the CPP has provided the only comprehensive and objective analysis of the socioeconomic structure and political situations in the country.

Up to this day, the Philippines remains a semifeudal and semicolonial society, worsened by the full implementation of neoliberal policies dictated by the imperialist US. Despite being an agricultural country, no technology has ever been developed to genuinely help farmers — machinery, irrigation, fertilizers, and other components of production are still monopolized by big agribusiness companies. The reactionary government desperately creates crises and shortages in order to justify unrestricted importation of rice and other agricultural products.

Furthermore, the country also lacks intermediate and heavy industries. Workers remain trapped in semi-skilled labor – contractual, underpaid and overworked. Meanwhile, big foreign capitalists, with the full support of the local ruling elite continue to make use of raw materials for selfish and destructive ventures.

Foreign mining and logging companies exploit the people through cheap labor and inhumane working and living conditions, displace communities and devastate the environment. Plantations and commercial buildings take over fertile agricultural land. Fishing waters are reclaimed into business centers. In the end, Filipinos are left with nothing but scrap in their own home. In Bicol, vast agricultural lands will be affected and thousands of families will be displaced by the rehabilitation and expansion of the Philippine National Railways (PNR). The US-Duterte regime plans to transform the region into an economic zone and allow foreign nationals to start and build their businesses over rubbles of communities.

Meanwhile, the revolutionary movement has proven that ingenuity trumps modern capitalist technology. Through agrarian revolution waged in various provinces, the farmers have been able to reclaim haciendas from landlords. United, the people have been able to launch and win campaigns to stop destructive mining, illegal logging, construction of megadams and bogus modernization projects. United, the people have been able to build cooperatives, construct tools for farming and collectively reap and make use of the fruits of their labor.

It is the duty of those armed with knowledge and tools of analyses to expose and oppose imperialist-dictated projects and programs meant to further deprive the people of land, food, living wage, decent housing and affordable and reliable mass transportation. LAB decisively calls on all fellow scientists to use their skills and knowledge in order to advance technology for the people. Scientists and engineers, with their technical know-how, will also be vital in the phase of agricultural mechanization and in developing national industries.

On this 50th anniversary of the CPP, LAB-Bikol strongly encourages scientists to tread the path toward the countryside — learn from the people and stand with the people.

Serve the people, join the New People’s Army!