Philippines: Revolutionary forces to assist masses amid ravage of typhoon Ompong

Philippines: Revolutionary forces to assist masses amid ravage of typhoon Ompong

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following Sept. 15 statement from the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Units of the New People’s Army (NPA) and all revolutionary forces in North and Central Luzon, as well as in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, are geared to carry out rescue, relief and rehabilitation work for millions of people whose homes and livelihood were ravaged by strong winds and rains brought about by typhoon Ompong.

Over the next few days, local commands of the NPA can concentrate primarily in civic action amid the disaster even as they remain vigilant over the relentless offensive operations of the AFP.

The Party urges the Filipino people and international humanitarian agencies to unite and extend all possible help to address the welfare of the people. It urges all democratic sectors to establish Serve the People brigades to help collect and distribute relief assistance.

The broad masses of workers, peasants, minority people, fisherfolk and other basic sectors suffer the most from the damage wrought by typhoon Ompong. There is urgent need to mobilize them to carry out collective effort from the devastation and facilitate the entry and equitable distribution of all financial and material assistance.

As in the past, the people will be burdened by rampant corruption and inefficiencies in the Philippine reactionary government whose agencies always fail to squarely address their conditions.

Their clamor for wage increases, land distribution, cancellation of debt, agricultural subsidies, free irrigation and livelihood assistance and economic relief demand immediate attention and resolution.