The National Democratic Front (NDF) in Ilocos conveys its warmest greetings and pays its highest respects to the New People’s Army (NPA) in its 53rd Founding Anniversary this day!

The NDF-Ilocos celebrates with all comrades and masses for more than five decades of the NPA’s victories in advancing the revolutionary armed struggle to crush imperialism, bureaucrat capitalism and feudalism and build socialism. The NPA’s triumphs in 53 years inspire and embolden the Filipino people in fighting the tyrant Duterte regime and its successor that would continue to govern this despotic state.

The NDF-Ilocos salutes all martyred comrades, including all those who persevere in carrying out this great struggle. These comrades chose to bear arms, sacrifice and dedicate their lives to defend the sovereignty, freedom and rights of the Filipino people, instead of capitulating to the ruling class.

The founding of the NPA in March 29, 1969 is historically significant because it resumed the armed struggle of the Filipinos for national liberation. Through the leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and guidance of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, it unveiled the new democratic revolution of the Filipinos that started from the First Filipino Revolution in 1896 to smash the semifeudal and semicolonial society and build a socialist one.

In more than five decades, the NPA and Filipino people frustrared the pledges of the succeeding regimes to quell the people’s war. All their attempts only bolster the people’s will to fight the fascist oppression and exacerbating exploitatation of the state under the ever-worsening crisis of the semifeudal and semicolonial society.

Following the order of their commander- in-chief Duterte, the AFP and NTF-ELCAC had been announcing that the revolutionary struggle here in Ilocos led by the CPP-NPA-NDF is now subdued. This is after inflicting incessant turmoil and violence on communities and going mad in forcing civilian leaders and members of democratic people’s organizations to surrender as “NPA rebels”. These state forces exacerbate red-tagging and harassments on peasants, fisherfolk, workers and other impoverished people who are only complaining on never-ending escalation of their expenses and degradation of their production due to unabated oil price hikes and importation of vegetables, rice, fish and meat products. While plundering their ancestral land for the expansion of businesses such as windmill and dam for energy production, the NTF-ELCAC and the intelligence assets of the military and police pressure the national minority people who are resisting.

To defend the people from several forms of attacks and violence of the enemy, the NPA in Ilocos zealously engaged battles to counter the incessant Focused Miitary Operations of the AFP-PNP that resulted in their casualties from 2020. Despite these, the Red fighters’ morale remain high in accepting their tactical defeats and humbly learn from the important lessons from their experiences. Such revolutionary attitude proves their sincerity in serving the people, and in return earn their warm support. For these, the people are inspired even more to pursue the revolution.

In areas temporarily vacated by units of the NPA in Ilocos, the people persevere in struggling for their rights and welfare. Despite enemy coercion, their revolutionary enthusiasm prevail. Revolutionary mass organizations under the NDF continue to expand and consolidate. They continue to fight different forms of their exploitation. The masses are eagerly waiting for the return of their Red Army, to draw more courage and vigor in their struggles. The youth and peasants are fervently waiting for the units of NPA where they would enlist. Masses and allies of the middle forces gather material support to send for the Red fighters.

In areas where they expand their territories, the masses warmly welcome their People’s Army. People who first meet NPA comrades are not anxious, but are glad and agitated. They are grateful that the Red Army lands and returns on their places. Many people are always looking for ways and means to connect with the NPA.

Anywhere, the NPA in Ilocos never abstain from rendering their task of arousing, organizing, mobilizing and guiding the masses. They continuously educate and guide the masses in analyzing the issues affecting them and help them resolve these. They put efforts to render medical and health services and assist peasants to enhance production in order to overcome the seething crisis brought about by the pandemic.

Even if they are repressed and terrorized, the masses try hard not to submit to the fascist state. Here in Ilocos, not a single civilian volunteered to surrender to the NTF-ELCAC and yielded as assets of the military and police. Those who are publicized as “CPP-NPA surrenderees” are innocent civilians whom they pressured and put through rigorous psywar. This only shows where the people pin their loyalty, and nowhere but to their army and the revolution.

The NDF and people of Ilocos are unfazed by the pronouncements of the AFP-PNP and NTF-ELCAC that the CPP-NPA-NDF and the revolutionary movement in the region are now subjugated, and the union of the NPA and the people are now shattered. And while they keep on driveling on blatant lies, the unity of the people and the People’s Army to advance the armed revolution becomes fortified all the more. With the unyielding solidarity of the people and the NPA, the armed revolution will definitely succeed.

In its 53rd anniversary, the NDF-Ilocos expresses its resolution to further strengthen its unity with the NPA to advance the people’s war. #