The Relevance of the Party

The relevance of the Party depends on two (2) things: first, if it still provides direction; and second, if it remains a reliable partner of the masses in their aspiration for a good and stable life. The Party must realize that it is first and foremost, an organization. An organization of such size, magnitude, impact and longevity must have something in it that makes it what it is.

Unlike other revolutionary parties, the Communist Party of the Philippines is the only remaining Communist-inspired organization waging a protracted people's war against an established government in ASEAN. All the others, particularly the Communist Party of Thailand and the Communist Party of Indonesia had all been marginalized, if at all, decimated. Their decimation may have been due to several factors, among which is the attractiveness of its offer for societal change. Thais and Malays may have found their prescription irrelevant.

The Party remains relevant because it sees the Philippine condition in its sociological lenses as provided by Karl Marx. Marxism-Leninism remains a strong theoretical foundation for those who aspire for change. However, this analytical tool must be used very carefully, like how a social scientist does. It is not meant for demagogues. Marxism aspires to liberate man from metaphysical abstractions. What it does is to situate man, provide man with a correct analysis of his environment for him to adapt to changes that occur every second.

What believers of the Marxian method might have missed is the effect of such a tool in changing one's mindset--it makes one eliminate the causes of confusion that leads to a misunderstanding of the dynamics behind every phenomenon.

For the Party to stay relevant, it must re-examine its analysis of the Philippine condition. It cannot be that for the last fifty years, the Philippines remained as a semi-feudal, semi-colonial condition. There must be a thorough re-assessment and thereupon, changes in the way the Party looks at Philippine reality.

Tactics must also be reviewed after the Party collectively agrees on a renewed analysis of Philippine conditions based on Marxist-Leninism. The strategy for the attainment of revolutionary change could actually be not entirely based on armed struggle. The main purpose is the overhauling of the system by defeating the Oligarchs that rule this country. The defeat of the Oligarchs is the main mission to correct the monumental flaws of our system. There is simply no compromise in this.  For the continued domination of the Oligarchs leads to a lopsided relationship where most of the vast resources of this country are controlled by a few who profit from the misery of the majority.