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ARTICLES & SPEECHES, 2001 - Present |
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UPHOLD THE REVOLUTIONARY SPIRIT OF THE I join you in celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the First Quarter Storm. As the successor of Kabataang Makabayan, Anakbayan has the honor and responsibility of being at the forefront of the celebration and of promoting the line of advance in the struggle for national liberation and democracy. The US-Macapagal regime has grossly betrayed the people. It has proven itself to be another servile and self-aggrandizing instrument of US imperialism and the domestic exploiting classes of big compradors and landlords. It is not capable of doing anything but aggravating the socioeconomic crisis and the people’s suffering. We therefore anticipate great opportunities for advancing the revolutionary mass movement in the year ahead. The country will reel further from the dire consequences of the regime’s subservience to the dictates of foreign monopoly interests and their multilateral agencies like the IMF, World Bank and WTO. It will be further subjected to impositions of the US that will allow its military forces to trample on Philippine sovereignty and territorial integrity. Right now, US military forces are in the Philippines in violation of the principles of Philippine national sovereignty and territorial integrity and the provision in the GRP constitution prohibiting foreign military bases, troops and facilities. The US has also violated the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement by deploying combat troops and engaging in unilateral acts, including unilateral flights, exclusive training of US troops and destruction of the environment. Do not harbor any illusion about the peace negotiations between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Government of the Republic of the Philippines. On matters of security and peace negotiations, Ms. Macapagal is in the clutches of the US and a narrow circle of pro-US militarists headed by General Angelo Reyes. All of them wish to gloss over the root causes of the civil war and are vainly trying to push the NDFP towards a path of capitulation. The world capitalist system is now in the throes of the worst recession since the Great Depression. In fact, there is already a global depression that exacts the worst toll on semicolonial and semifeudal countries like the Philippines. The Macapagal regime cannot expect to overcome the crisis by begging for foreign direct investments and credit and for orders for raw materials and low value-added semimanufactures or by receiving US military troops and equipment to suppress the people’s resistance. The US itself is sinking into a deep recession. And the Bush regime cannot solve the problem but can only aggravate this by stepping up military production and whipping up war hysteria. The global economic crisis will continue to worsen and lead to graver political turmoil throughout the world. The so-called global assault on terrorism, proclaimed by US imperialism --the biggest terrorist in the history of mankind--and echoed by its puppet Macapagal regime, is a pretext for further US military intervention and more wars of aggression against the oppressed peoples and nations, as well as countries or governments that assert national independence. All major contradictions are bound to intensify: between the imperialists on one hand and the oppressed peoples and oppressed nations on the other hand, between the imperialists and anti-imperialist governments, among the imperialist powers and the monopoly bourgeoisie and between the proletariat in imperialist countries. The crisis of overproduction in all types of goods, including high-tech goods, and the resultant financial meltdowns are bringing to the surface all the political monsters that the imperialists keep in reserve for suppressing the resistance of the revolutionary proletariat and the people. I urge Anakbayan to uphold the revolutionary legacy of the First Quarter Storm against imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism and respond to the challenge of carrying forward the revolutionary struggle of the youth and the entire people. Seize the initiative in arousing, organizing and mobilizing the youth against the antinational and antidemocratic policies of the US-Macapagal regime. Great struggles lie ahead. Consolidate and expand your own forces. Only thus can you be well prepared for encouraging and participating in a broad united front for the purpose of isolating and defeating the enemy and thereby gaining more strength. Let us recall that last year the youth comprised the main bulk of the masses assembling at EDSA and marching to Malacanang palace in the successful effort to bring down the Estrada regime. Let us also recall what I pointed out last year: the many schools around the vicinity of the presidential palace make it easy for the youth to fight any ruling clique that is against our national and democratic rights and interests. Any time that the need arises, rally the youth on the widest possible scale in their own schools, workplaces and communities before marching to converging points. Continue to develop tactics that will enable the youth, the toiling masses of workers and peasants, the urban poor, the women and other people to paralyze, encircle and topple the ruling reactionaries. In the next one or two years, prepare yourselves and be alert for the moment that incites the youth to rise up in great numbers and fill the streets as in the First Quarter Storm. The inciting moment can arise from several probable breaking points, such an abrupt tumble of the economy, widespread hunger, a big corruption scandal, a bloody attack on unarmed protesters, a massacre or any other grave violation of human rights perpetrated by US troops and/or Filipino puppet troops. An outrageous incident is bound to arise because of the fragility and volatility of the crisis-stricken ruling system. It arises not only from the struggle between the people and the ruling reactionaries but also from the increasingly bitter struggle among the reactionaries. I am confident that you are alert to the favorable conditions for mass struggle and that you are resolutely and militantly developing your strength. Long live the revolutionary spirit of the First Quarter Storm! Long live Anakbayan and all Filipino youth! Long live the Filipino people and the Philippine revolution! |
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