Robert Reid | Chairperson FFPS
On the 52nd founding anniversary of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle and its members all over the world extend their highest highest salute to the Filipino people advancing the national democratic revolution aspiring for national democracy and social liberation.
The NDFP is the most consolidated united front advancing the revolutionary struggle of the Filipino people and brings together workers, farmers, women, youth, health workers, and other progressive classes and sectors in the Philippines, and uniting them to overthrow the semi-colonial and semi-feudal system through a people’s war and for the completion of the national democratic revolution.
In its more than half a century of existence, the NDFP and its allied organizations steadfastly aroused, organized and mobilized the Filipino masses in their participation in the peasant war in the countryside and the revolutionary movement in the cities and overseas. It continuously lays the foundation to build organs of political power in its territories and helps the masses establish their own governance. The NDF has also victoriously represented the revolutionary masses locally and abroad.
In current times, with the US’ desperation to maintain its hegemony, the advance of the national democratic revolution in the Philippines is more important than ever. This revolution has been a key deterrent for the US to fully use the country as a military launchpad for the US’ war provocations against China.
Under the current Marcos regime, the US is fortifying its presence in the country through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT). The ongoing Balikatan military exercises or Balikatan 25, will serve as a full-battle test to demonstrate the modern weapons of the US like the Typhon missile system which was secretly transferred to the country and the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) an anti-ship missile system. On April 16, the United States Navy Vessel (USAV) SSGT Robert T. Kuroda (LSV-7) and the Philippine Navy Vessel BRP Waray (LC288) docked at the port of Dingalan, Aurora shipping US and Filipino troops involved in the Balikatan Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) which aims to strengthen the bilateral inter-operability and logistical readiness of the US and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
With the intensifying US military intervention and presence in the Philippines to provoke and contain its imperialist rival, China, and build up its presence in the Asia Pacific region, the revolutionary Filipino masses is ever committed to consolidate their mass organizations and advance their revolution to victory. And their victory is their significant contribution to the world’s anti-imperialist struggle.
As anti-imperialists and internationalists we give our highest salute to the Filipino people in struggle, we amplify their voices in our marches, and we celebrate their revolution by extending out utmost support. We emulate their resistance to the US’ war staging and military build up in the country by continuing our solidarity work and intensifying our anti-imperialist struggles in our own countries.
Long live the National Democratic Front of the Philippines!
Long live the Filipino revolutionaries and the masses!