The flames still burning,
so is the people’s desire for redemption and justice
Despite assurances of renewing peace, the current order is still at present in its most aggressive advances against the masses. In a period that communities still trying to recover from the pandemic, recent news such as low wages, rising costs of commodities, agrarian crisis, the recent jeepney phase-out, to that of still-subservience to foreign interests, the current order still tries to snare the nation through its unbridled demagogy and its shrieking of phrases such as "unity", "development", "national interest", all to win over the middle class and the working masses, including students and women, as well as groups of backward, unenlightened workers and peasants.
For like 2016 and 2022, the current order, being desperate in its consolidation due to recent internal rifts, will "try its best" to suppress the still-growing opposition in the name of "counterinsurgency" alongside participation in capitalist rationalisation, and complete capitulation before today's imperialism, and thus prepared the ground for another wave of Marcosian/Dutertist demagoguery.
Like its predecessors, the "patriotism" being bannered is but half-baked if not sham. It's rhetoric, being centered on "national unity" fails to cover up the fact that the internal rifts been shown out, whilst economic and social policies remain favourable to entrenched interests at the expense of the working masses. Yes, the neoliberal-globalist policies being bannered by those appearing to be "patriots" in fact passing all its burdens to the working people.
How come? Did these apologists talked about sovereignty? Sovereignty doesn't limit to that of defending the islands, shoals, and the sea as what they've presented, but also that of asserting and realising the hopes and aspirations of the people. Marcos jr., in his 2023 New Year's message said that "The innate bayanihan spirit in all of us is what will keep us going amidst all adversities that will continue to test our fortitude as a nation," yet is it? The interest seekers continue to exploit while pretending to be "in solidarity" with the people as they favour policies like privatisation, deregulation, and the likes. Wouldn't be surprised if they've sold off the belongings, life, and existence of the working people to the highest-bidding foreign imperialists especially that of United States and China while bannering the Philippine flag and talking about "national unity to overcome adversities."
To be frank, such scenarios showeth that in the midst of global crisis brought by today’s capitalist system, that monopoly capitalism and imperialism still continues to engage in ever-worsening forms of oppression and exploitation in every folk and community to maximise profits. Contrary to the presentations peddled by capitalists- that of a "better future" under theirs obviously doesn't realise in both "developed" and "underdeveloped" societies. The latter, mainly semicolonial/semifeudal in nature continues to aggravate existing tensions as it engenders worsening socioeconomic conditions for the majority of workers, peasants, and toiling masses. Those who resist are being averted by the attack dogs of the system as local vassals, backed by monopoly capitalists, incite wars and other violent confrontations to maintain control over their interests. However, the increasing levels of social instability and worker and other laborer resistance are not stopped by such "preemptive measures." The semicolonial and semifeudal system in the Philippines are in a hopeless situation, and things will only get worse while the global capitalist system continues to wriggle through its problems, creating conditions that are driving an increasing number of people to wage revolutionary resistance in order to realize their dreams of a democratic nation and to struggle militantly and collectively for their political and economic rights.
Regardless of their actions from the system, it becomes imperative that in seeking truth from facts means to expose, oppose those whose subservience to entrenched interests and exploiters of working masses, and to assert forward national and social alternative to this ever-continuing crisis. People have enough that through neoliberal capitalism, International high finance has taken command of the sovereign rights of the Filipino people and is now exploiting even further with agreements both current and new- as recent news like private control of airports and railways to that of wanting multinationals, like its local “oligarch” partners to control agriculture as that of manufacturing, is this the “progress” and “development” being presented to the people last elections? And if its attack dogs trying to maim those who truly concerned and therefore willing to oppose then is it wrong in calling for resistance?
As realities made the Filipino folk as if deserved to have chains of slavery made from gold and made from its own tears, sweat and blood, then those truly concerned about the country would agree what Mao Zedong said “it is right to rebel” and therefore it becomes imperative to fight by various forms and means to assert a just alternative to an enforced crisis. Until when people realise that the current administration is as same as that of its predecessors? Is their “unity” worth unifying as familiar despotic faces and same unjust policies prevail? Quite agreeable the words of Unity, Solidarity, Change, Nationalism, but not of their shallow interpretation- for the fact that theirs being presented to this and future generations is dismissable as some legal fiction, moot and academic in favour of their continuous vassalage to foreign overlords and entrenched interests.