August 1, 2002

Let me first express warmest greetings of anti-imperialist solidarity to Chairman Crispin Beltran and other members of the International Coordinating Committee of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle (ILPS), to the ILPS Philippine Committee and to all the delegations of the mass organizations to this assembly.

I congratulate you for successfully preparing and convening this assembly to establish the Philippine chapter of the ILPS. You are the first in the world to form a national chapter of the ILPS. Your signal role reflects the strength of the national-democratic movement in the Philippines.

I am reminded of the crucial role that you played in supporting the International Initiative Committee and the provisional secretariat, in organizing preparatory work committees and in inviting from various countries delegations to the First International Assembly of the ILPS. In that assembly, the delegations from the Philippines were in good number and of high quality.

In view of the prior strength and experience of the national democratic movement in the Philippines, I presume that the founding of the Philippine chapter of the ILPS is an act of consolidation intended mainly to enhance the consciousness and capabilities of the Philippine mass organizations for a more vigorous and fruitful participation in the ILPS.

I am aware that representatives of Philippine mass organizations are now in the thick of preparations for conferences on the 18 concerns to draft major resolutions and elect study commissions. I am also aware of preparations being made by the newly appointed Asian regional coordinator for an Asian regional consultation or conference to tackle issues affecting the region and to form a regional commission of the ILPS.

Further, I am aware that some preparations in broad strokes, consisting of conceptualizing and initial planning, are already being made for the Second International Assembly, which is expected to be held in the Philippines in 2004. I appreciate your resolve and optimism that the aforementioned preparations will succeed.

I hope that you can continue to work effectively, despite the escalating human rights violations under the US-Arroyo regime. I am confident that you will struggle harder for liberation and democracy against U.S. imperialism and the current regime as these evil forces seek to further dominate, rob, terrorize and deceive the people.

I am deeply pleased with all the aforesaid preparations. In connection with these as General Consultant of the ILPS, I have been able to give comments and suggestions to the International Coordinating Committee, International Coordinating Group and General Secretariat of the ILPS and to the leaders of the Philippine mass organizations.

All of us must contribute what we can to further build and strengthen the ILPS as a coordinating center and as a broad anti-imperialist and democratic united front on a global scale. The ILPS is urgently needed in these times when the imperialists headed by the United States and their puppets are subjecting the people to the worst forms of exploitation and oppression.

The ILPS must be the rallying point for the mass movements to resist "free market" globalization, the spread of draconian laws and the wars of aggression masterminded by the US as the No. 1 imperialist and terrorist power. The participating mass organizations of the ILPS must strive to be the most enlightening and militant in various countries.

We can all anticipate that the imperialists and their lackeys would unleash more assaults against the people and violate their civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights as the crisis of the world capitalist system worsens and the imperialists headed by the US become greedier and more aggressive. We must be prepared to expand and intensify the people’s struggle.

The ILPS must promptly issue statements and position papers on major issues, coordinate organizations, mobilize the masses. It must make good use of the electronic mass media in order to effect quickly common understanding and coordination in action. In various countries, the banner of the ILPS must fly high in mass actions.

The ILPS must grow in strength and advance along the main line of struggle for national and social liberation against imperialism and reaction. It must bring together all the anti-imperialist and progressive forces to the broad united front and be ready to go into broader alliances in order to mobilize greater numbers of people and wage more effective struggles against their adversaries.

The broader the ILPS becomes as a united front the more determined should be the anti-imperialist and progressive forces to maintain their integrity, independence and initiative. By their own firmness of principle and flexibility of policy and tactics, they must ensure that the ILPS is the most popular, most progressive, most articulate and most militant international mass formation against US imperialism and all reaction.

I urge the Philippine mass organizations now enlisted in the ILPS-Philippines to continue contributing the best they can to keep the ILPS at the forefront of the anti-imperialist and democratic struggle of the people of the world. Thank you. #