Showing posts with label Joma Sison. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joma Sison. Show all posts

Saturday, September 17, 2011

CPP-NPA-NDF dips its fingers on mining? WTF?!

The Communist Party of the Philippines issued a statement last September 14, condemning the entry of foreign mining firms in the country. The party devoted so much time writing the statement that it took them a great deal to explain why a Socialist-Mao Zedong revolutionary force is now very interested and very keen on dipping their fingers in the exploration of this country's mineral resources. For decades, note the series of statements issued by the Party and you'll note that these statements are closely related to the 40-year struggle of the Party against the Philippine State. 


Now, the CPP-NPA-NDF is changing tack. It now wants to become an enterprise? It now wants to promote nationalist mining and probably earn millions of dollars worth of revenues from extraction of mines?


This is a far departure from the Party whose sole objective is seizure of political power in the name of the weak, the helpless and the downtrodded. I know that the Party has directed its front organisations such as Alyansa Tigil Mina to liaise with Indigenous Peoples solely to protect their ancestral domains? Don't tell me that the CPP-NPA-NDF will not ask these tribes to abandon their domains once the Party successfully convinces the National Government to call off foreign mining plans in this country and instead grant it to several Party favorites and dummies?


Teddy Casino and Luz Ilagan of Bayan Muna and Gabriela, both organisations under the National Democratic Front are very much active in calling for the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995. Instead of being consistent with the age-old partyline of protecting the Indigenous People's rights and the stand favoring environmental protection, the duo wants nothing more than nationalize mining. They want a repeal because it does not favor the Party's interest, which is dominate the local mining industry.


Meaning, they are really not interested in protecting IP rights---they are now using these tribes to alienate other interests involved in mining so that they will now be the ones to dominate the industry and people it with their own dummies?


My question to Teddy is---where do we get the technology needed to extract tons and tons of copper and gold in our mountains? We buy it, they say. Ok, where do you get experts? There is still a dearth of Pinoy mining engineers and experts. Don't tell me that you'll ask China to partner with you? If you plan so, you're nothing but shameless hypocrites!


I am totally dismayed by the Party stand simply because this campaign against mining distracts the revolutionary movement from its original objective which is armed struggle against the state. Ask any NPA cadre and he'll tell you that the main reason why he joined was he wanted nothing more than change Philippine society. Is mining part of his work as a cadre?


INstead of salivating from the thought of getting millions out of ores, why not completely concentrate on intensifying the struggle against graft and corruption, the Corporatism being perpetuated by the Aquino administration, the increasing poverty of the people and others? There are so many issues more worthy of the party's attention than mining.


Or the Party wants to turn their weapons into digging forks instead of plowshares?


By the way, why is the CPP-NPA-NDF attacking only US mining firms and not Chinese mining firms? China is a foreign power, one of a few exploiting the resources of this country. I have'nt heard any single incident which the NPAs torch the mining plants of the Chinese. Don't tell me that the Party is a stooge of China?















Sunday, December 5, 2010

Joma Sison longs for home

Jose Maria Sison longs for home, and who will not? Every Filipino born in these beautiful lands, would always think of home. Like what they always say, home is where the heart is. Mountains and mangoes, he says, are all he misses, plus of course, the company of friends.


I think it is best for Joma to really come home and see the countrysides. The countrysides have improved a lot in terms of "look" and "feel", so much different from those he saw during the 70's. Real incomes, however, according to the NSCB, are still far from ideal. Fact is, only three of the fourteen regions, have positive average family incomes. 


Yet, progress is slowly creeping in, I admit. I always go out of Metro Manila every single week, to see for myself how things are doing in provinces near the metro. People are still poor, yes, but the means which they derive their incomes have changed, drastically. Only a few people derive their incomes from the fruits of the land, and most are now workers. 


Consider this stats from the NSO and the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). There are about 1.4 million families right now earning under 40,000 a month incomes, while those earning 249,999 monthly incomes have reached 3.264 million, signifying a horizontal growth in the past few years. Entrepreneurship? Not really. 43% gets their monthly income from wages and salaries.



Sources of Income
Income Category
Wage
Entrepreneurial activities
other sources of income
Under 40,000
25.87%
22%
52.17%
40-59,999
37.73%
28.50%
33.73%
60-99,000
52.40%
27.33%
20%
100-249,000
55.02
18%
19.77%
Total Average
42.76%
23.96%
31.42%



Philippines
All Income
Under 40k
40-59,999
60-99,000
100-249000
249999up
17,403,000
1,392,000
2,355,000
4,122,000
6,271,000
3,264,000












Now the "other sources of income" category here might be overseas remittances. The under 40k category gets most of their income from these other sources. Meaning, their wages and salaries are not really enough to support their lives.  They are the largest beneficiaries of overseas remittances which account for about US$12-14 billion every year.


Obviously, there are now more workers, possibly industrial, now than in the 70's when Jose Maria Sison wrote the Philippine Society and Revolution (PSR), a classic. From his analysis of Philippine society, the Left movement derived its conclusion on how best to correct the centuries-old injustices in the country.


When Joma analyzed that society is still "semi-colonial and semi-feudal", he then postulated that the correct approach to the problem was the protracted people's war.


For him, the protracted people's war follows the Maoist example of establishing mass bases in the countrysides and slowly building the force leading to the conquest so to speak of the cities, and thereafter, the seat of power. 


He did'nt say however, how protracted or how long this people's war should be, but by the looks of it, this war could go on for centuries. The Party has just celebrated its 40 years plus existence, and by the way things are going, the war could last up to another 40 and by that time, Joma's age would probably be 121.


The problem with a protracted people's war is sustenance. Sustaining an army, in logistical terms, is extremely hard. You need to feed them and sustain their morale and train them always in fighting form.


Now, when fighters turn into political officers (as what some rationalize it), the army loses its edge. Fighters are fighters and you can't transform them into farmers or workers overnight. When you train someone to fight and kill for a cause, it's quite hard for them to revert to their old statuses as farmers, workers or laborers. Being a political officer is different from a guerilla fighter, it involves two differing thought processes. 


When large areas of your bases are domiciled, you lose a sizeable portion of your combatants. Why? Again, when you train ordinary people and make them soldiers and warriors, they will always expect a fight or at least occasions where they'll be able to show their mettle. When you slow down your engagements, you then risk losing or weakening their will to fight the enemy. 


Admittedly, the movement is age-ing. The army is also age-ing real fast. The problem of every organization like that of the Party and of its army is succession. Your original cadres are either fading due to old age or weakening both physically and mentally. Imagine the thought of every single day, living in the mountains or hiding in the cities, these activities are exhausting. More than having the ideological toughness, you need a strong body to sustain yourself in armed struggle.


This leads us to one suggestion--maybe the Party, especially the Tiamson couple, would consider changing the strategies and tactics of the revolution? Maybe, it is time for them to consider mixing insurrectionary activities with that of building bases in the countrysides? Why?


As the movement ages and weakens, the State becomes stronger and bolder. Both organizations, if you compare, are not in equal footing. The State has an army of willing successors while the movement still lacks cadres as good as the "originals". 


While the movement spreads its revolutionary message in the countrysides, cadres here in the cities could, maybe, institute both political and military work to re-establish presence and image-building initiatives. People are slowly forgetting the "cause" and it would not really harm those in the movement if they start re-igniting the passions of the People in support of the revolution. 


Maybe it is also time for the Left to re-assess the situation and look for other models, like the one in Bolivia and Venezuela? Or even, review the successes of the Cuban revolution of 1959 where Che Guevarra and Fidel Castro successfully mixed both Leninist and Maoist theories into one highly successful strategy?


This is an opportune time to re-consider, since, the landscape has changed a lot since the 70's. Since Luis Jalandoni is here, maybe, he begins re-assessing the landscape by travelling a lot, especially in the Northern and Central Luzon provinces and maybe even Mindanao. And when he goes back to the Netherland, maybe, start discussing with Joma how best to approach the People's War.

Friday, October 1, 2010

The Red October: Times are ripe for a Revolution

The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), one of the country's major social influencers, has just issued a warning against President Noynoy Aquino's plan to implement the Reproductive Health Bill. The church leadership even warned Aquino of ex-communication should he pushes thru with his plan to support the RH bill. 


Let's forego discussions about this issue and just concentrate on the political implications of this issue. This is something being neglected by the Aquino administration.


First, the Church is threatening to launch a civil disobedience campaign. This is the first time over a decade that the entire Church leadership had threatened this kind of political action. 


With this issue creating a split among the populace and the jueteng issue threatening a serious rift among the elite groups, will this result to what some say, a revolution of serious proportions?


Will the prediction of former defense secretary Norberto Gonzales, the promoter of clerico fascism in the Philippines, fulfill itself this coming month? Let us see.


Things are beginning to unravel, the purported assassination plot against Pnoy, the ever widening rift between the Church and the Aquino administration, the rising dissatisfaction among Pnoy's volunteer groups, the internal conflict between and among groups within the palace and the ever increasing dissatisfaction of the public over the foibles committed by this administration.


These are, what some would say, events leading to a revolutionary situation.


If Gonzales again assumes power, then, he surely had surpassed Joma Sison in terms of being the only public intellectual who has successfully steered three revolts in a lifetime. 

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Joma's Prognosis of the 2010 Elections

Joma Sison's insights continue to amaze political pundits in this country. Despite being away for so long in exile, Joma's statements still packs a punch. Recently, the former CPP Chairman's statements were published. This is about his own views on the "presidentiables". He says that the man to watch is Defense Secretary Teodoro.

I wrote in Filipinovoices.com that Teodoro is really Gloria's closest ace for the elections. I heard from one of the closest advisers of the devil infant that she's grooming Teodoro to replace her. This is a stark contrast to some views that Noli's the "anointed one". I don't believe it for a second. Noli remains popular in perception; yet the prospect of him winning the top plum is, I think, more speculative than anything.

However, I am quite surprised why our last remaining credible Marxist-Leninist-Mao Tsetung resident head seems too engrossed on elections. If I remember my Marxism, elections are to be frown upon is'nt? Was that statement an indirect admission by the CPP top leadership that they're abandoning the oust gloria before 2010 movement and instead, looking forward to 2010? If that is the direction, then, quite possibly, does this mean that the CPP head honcho is more concerned now with the survival of the party's representatives in Congress than push thru with the protracted people's war?

That's the problem with the current CPP leadership--it's wishy-washy. It does not have the strong backbone we, the people, expect it to have. I expect Joma to lambast Gloria's government for its continued oppression of the people. I expect Joma etal to convince the public to participate in the continuing struggle rather than set their sights on the 2010 elections. Is the party going the pacifist route? Has the looong struggle already mellowed the leadership, numbing their ideological selves and turning them into veritable compromisers?

This is another problem--the "protractiveness" of this people's war. When is it going to ascend the next stage--from strategic stalemate to strategic victory? Are we going to wait another 40 years before this revolutionary victory becomes reality? Are these stages just products of Joma's fertile imagination or these are reality-based analytics going haywire?

I have been analyzing what happened to Bayan Muna and Anakpawis and why did they suddenly went into silent mode with the Meralco issue. The last statement I heard was a praise for the Arroyo administration for granting a measly 10 pesos wage hike. What the..? Are we being inconsistent here?

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Arroyo government--China's Puppet Regime

In the next few years, Filipinos will be asking the Chinese for permission to mine their own mountains, permit to plant their own rice seedlings in their own fat soil and permissions to fish their own bangus in their own waters. You may think that I'm exaggerating. I'm not. Right now, as things stand, I am studying the executive agreements we entered with China and these deals are alarming to say the least.

A few weeks from now, Lakas Christian-Muslim democrats and Kampi stalwart Puno will be visiting China. One of the goals of the visit is to explore the possibility of a tieup of Lakas-Kampi with the Chinese Communist Party. I thought Arroyo is fighting the Filipino Communists? I thought there's a campaign to eradicate Communists in this country? What's all these?

Are we now telling the world that we want to be Communists? That we don't want alliances with the free world and those Christian democrats and we want to align ourselves with Mao's party? That the reason why Arroyo ousted JDV from Lakas is she has this malicious intention to become a member of the Chinese Communist Party?

Are we now selling democratic ideals in lieu of Communism? Is Arroyo telling us that (1) the reason why she wants to eradicate Joma is she wants to be the Philippine premier of the CCP version here? That this whole charade is just to make our country a puppet of China, a protectorate?

Well, well, well! Arroyo's really a very skilful politician! What Joma failed to achieve in almost 40 years, Arroyo just did in less than 10 years, what a revolutionary! Kahanga-hanga!

So now, we have effectively ousted the Americans as our foreign protector some 17 years ago. I never thought in my whole adult life that I'll be seeing them replaced by the Chinese.

Is it time to learn Mandarin?

Friday, September 14, 2007

Gloria, the Demon Infant

A jubilant Joma Sison called Gloria the "demon infant". Joma took a dig against Gloria after being freed by the Dutch government due to lack of evidence. "This demon infant", says the ideological head of the longest-running insurgency in the world, "..made all these trumped up charges against me, making my life a living hell." Hehehe. Now you know.

The last time I saw Joma seethed with anger was in 1990. That year saw the open confrontation between RJs and RAs. As a young activist at the University of the Philippines-Diliman, I also experienced being caught in the middle of the raging ideological debates. Some of us were tagged military informants, military adventurists, deviants and what-have-you. The mere mention of the 1959 Cuban revolution caused discomfort among the young cadres.

These clashes between the Politburo members and ex-Politburo members caused great calamity to the party. Many of my friends dropped out of the scene, never to be seen again. Others stayed but after a few years, dropped out. Some, like me, went on our lives, still struggling against a disordered society. We struggle yes. We are still socialists. But my method is now totally different. Its still a revolution. But it is closer to the 1959 Cuban coup and the Thai model than the 1949 Chinese revolution. It is more of Trotsky than Stalin.

Many of my comrades are still true-blue socialists but we don't want to be dragged into the debate that split the party. We are men of action. And what we aspire for is the creation of a military-civilian government with socialist bent. That is what I am fighting for.

Joma represents the old guards. Some of the new party members still see him as an idol, while many see him as just an icon. When demon infant smiled broadly with Joma's arrest, many actually laughed, not because of what happened, but because GMA could be a great fan of Joma. With this arrest, she has revived the shagging career of the man from Ilokos.

Gloria should let the CPP-NPA be. Whatever she says in public, the CPP-NPA-NDF will survive the ravages of time. It will survive even beyond Joma. It will not wither away. It will not be destroyed. Many regimes have tried, yet failed to even break its backbone. Why? Because those who believe in its cause remains in the party. It may probably evolve into something different a few years from now, after probably the demise of the party's ideologue, yet, still, it will espouse the Chinese model. The party will kill itself. No one can defeat it. It will either assume a different form to conform with modernization, but its soul will remain the same. Old dogs are hard to change. This is the same as the party.

Even a demon infant cannot defeat the party of the people