The assemblies will be hosted by the local revolutionary committees, mass organizations, and the CPP branches and sections in the localities. These will mostly be held in areas under the jurisdiction and authority of the people’s democratic government.
MANILA — The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) announced today that preparations for the people’s assemblies to mark its 45th anniversary this 26 December are all set. It will kick off this morning with the raising of the hammer and sickle flag of the CPP simultaneous with the singing of the Internationale, the anthem of the international communist movement.
The flag of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), which it said represents the People’s Democratic Government in the Philippines in the interim, is set to be flown high in assembly areas today, as do the banners of the New People’s Army (NPA) and other revolutionary mass organizations.
According to the CPP Information Bureau, their anniversary assemblies will be hosted today by the barrio (village), inter-village and municipal revolutionary committees, their local revolutionary mass organizations, and CPP branches and sections in various localities. It said assemblies will mostly be held in areas under the jurisdiction and authority of organs of the people’s democratic government, or areas already under the rule of revolutionary government.
The CPP anticipates tens of thousands of people would join the assemblies to be held today in various parts of the Philippines. They said most of the people coming in from nearby barrios and towns will arrive at assembly points on foot.
The CPP also anticipates several thousand visitors from the cities, including students, workers, urban poor, doctors and professionals, government employees, and jeepney drivers. They announced that they have also invited foreign friends and governments to join and observe the said assemblies.
“Units of the NPA will join the assemblies and secure the venues, in coordination with local units of the people’s militia,” said the CPP in a statement emailed to the media.
It said “The assemblies will serve as a propitious occasion for the Filipino people to celebrate the concrete victories which they have achieved through 45 years of revolutionary struggle.” Specifically, the revolutionary party announced “They will be celebrating advances in the political, economic, cultural and military fields, as well as in the provision of educational and medical services to the people.”
It added that the assemblies today will also serve as an opportunity to generate and collect funds and other material support for rehabilitation efforts in the Yolanda areas. “Among those to be collected and distributed are seeds for vegetables and fruit trees, as well as tree seedlings for reforestation.”
The CPP reiterated its call on the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to pull-out its troops from the guerrilla base areas and cease its offensive operations to allow the people free movement to travel to and participate in the people’s assemblies for the 45th anniversary of the CPP.
According to the CPP Information Bureau, field reports indicate that PH government troops continue to carry-out operations in guerrilla zones in Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, other parts of Mindanao, as well as in the ‘Yolanda’-devastated areas of Samar, Leyte, Negros, and in Sorsogon, Benguet, and other towns of Luzon. All these, “Despite the supposed ceasefire declared by Malacañang.” The CPP denounced the government troops’ continuing operations amid supposed ceasefire. They also blamed Malacañang’s military operations for the unabated, widespread abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law happening in Philippine countryside today.
