PHILIPPINE COMMUNISM, explained in 6 minutes

History of Philippine Communism and the CPP-NPA-NDF

The video traces the history of Philippine communism and the armed rebellion associated with the CPP-NPA-NDF, describing a decades-long conflict that has cost many lives.

Early Communist Movement

The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP) was founded in 1930 by labor and peasant leaders Crisanto Evangelista, Mariano Jacinto, and Pedro Abad Santos. It campaigned for independence, land reform, and workers’ rights.

After the Supreme Court declared the PKP illegal in 1932 and arrested its leaders, the party later allied with the Philippine and American governments as Japan’s expansion threatened the region.

World War II and the Huk Movement

Following Japan’s invasion, communists formed the Hukbalahap guerrilla force to fight the Japanese. After the war, the Huks and PKP continued resisting American influence and the Philippine government. The video describes this postwar struggle as the country’s first communist insurgency.

The insurgency was eventually defeated under PKP leader Jesus Lava, who was arrested in 1964.

Sison and the CPP-NPA

Jose Maria Sison, a former PKP official, opposed Lava’s leadership and favored Mao Zedong’s approach. According to the video, Sison and former Huk member Bernabe Buscayno founded the New People’s Army in 1969 with about 60 members and few weapons.

The rebellion grew during Ferdinand Marcos’s martial law, with NPA formations reaching battalion size by 1981.

Post-Marcos Period and Peace Efforts

After Marcos was ousted in 1986, the video says the rebellion and peace process receded, though the movement later became more active. President Corazon Aquino released political prisoners, including Sison and Buscayno. Buscayno left CPP-NPA activity, while Sison went into exile in the Netherlands and became a political consultant to the National Democratic Front.

Successive administrations held peace talks. Negotiations under President Duterte initially appeared promising, but relations deteriorated, and Duterte later ordered an all-out campaign against the rebels.

The Anti-Subversion Law

The video says Congress repealed the Anti-Subversion Law in 1992. It explains that the repeal allowed people to hold any ideology, provided they did not take up arms against the government.

The video characterizes totalitarianism as suppressing opposition and exerting extensive control over public and private life.

Presenters and Contributors

• Voice-over: SS
• Researcher: S.M.D.P.
• Editor and Director: Plaridel