Robert Reid | Chairperson FFPS
Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle (FFPS) congratulates the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), the New People’s Army (NPA), the revolutionary mass organizations under the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the entire Filipino people on the occasion of the 57th anniversary of the CPP’s re-establishment.
Since its founding in 1968, the CPP has played a fundamental role in the national and social liberation struggle in the Philippines. It learned the positive and negative lessons of the Katipunan and the old communist party. By analyzing Philippine society, its classes, and people’s demands, it developed its political program and the line of the People’s Democratic Revolution.
Since then the party has grown to thousands of dedicated cadres that are rooted among the Filipino masses and their revolutionary mass organizations. They have led the NPA into becoming a nationwide people’s army that serves the masses and together with them defends their communities from plunder by foreign companies and attacks by the Philippine military. They have shown to genuinely stand for a just and lasting peace through solving the social, economic, and political roots of the armed conflict. This stands in contrast with the attitude of the Philippine government, which refuses to partake in meaningful dialogue with the revolutionary movement and instead resorts to all-out war.
Over these 57 years the CPP and the revolutionary movement have faced periods of difficulty and intense wars of suppression waged by successive US puppet regimes, from Marcos Sr. to Marcos Jr.. In the face of these circumstances the CPP has distinguished itself for self-critically analyzing the situation, adapting to repression and rectifying errors. The successful First and Second Great Rectification Movements and the news of initial successes of the current Third Rectification Movement in reinvigorating the revolution speak to this. We congratulate the CPP and the entire Filipino people on these successes as they are steadfastly advancing their struggle for a just and lasting peace.
The revolution in the Philippines is not just important to the people in Philippines. The oppressed people from all countries greatly benefit from the advancements the CPP has achieved in its revolutionary struggle, as well as the lessons that drawn up from those 57 years of experience. On the one hand the growth of the Philippine revolution provides an example for those in the semi-colonial and semi-feudal countries, and on the other hand all anti-imperialist forces benefit from the blows that the Philippine revolution deals US imperialism.
As supporters of the Philippine Revolution, we in FFPS shall continue our efforts to expose the fascist repression of the Filipino government internationally, to campaign against foreign intervention in the Philippines, and to give direct support. As the Filipino people and their revolutionary movement re-invigorate themselves, we will match their resolve and strengthen the flames of solidarity worldwide!
Long live the Communist Party of the Philippines!
Long live the People’s Democratic Revolution!
Long live the Filipino people in struggle!
Long live International Solidarity!