Lean Dale A.
Igos
AB Foreign Service 201
Introduction to International Trade (IITN04F)
Mr. Jumel Estrañero
CPP-NPA-NDFP and its Effects to the Philippines
What is the CPP-NPA-NDFP and its crimes in the Philippines?
The Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army- National Democratic Front of the
Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP) is a communist group that has an ongoing conflict with the
National Government of the Philippines. They possess the advocacies of Marxists, Leninists, and
Maoists and continue on pursuing them. The group is founded back in March 29, 1969 and
considered as the oldest existing communist insurgency. Jose Maria Sison also known as “Joma
Sison” founded the CPP and eventually formed an alliance with Bernabe Buscayno’s Partido-
Komunista ng Pilipinas (currently known as the New People’s Army) which is considered as the
armed wing of the group. On the other hand, the NDFP or the National Democratic Front of the
Philippines is considered as the political wing of the group.
In the context of the criminalities done by the group, last January 16, 2020, the Philippine
Information Agency (PIA) published an article regarding on the claim of the RPOC XI that the
CPP-NPA-NDFP is an organized crime group and is faking the act of revolutionary as they are
committing a large number killings, arsons, extortions, and harassments over the past and recent
years making them to impair the lives of the indigenous, students, and innocent citizens.
Moreover, one of the considered most evident crimes that is committed by the group is the illegal
possession of firearms, where in it is recently filed last November 2019, where the front leaders
of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) are arrested for violating the Republic Act
10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.
How does it affect our image as a nation in Indo-Pacific and ASEAN? How about those
nations without insurgents and terrorists like CPP-NPA?
Terrorism is a worldwide problem that also happens to the different countries and not only in the
Philippines, that is why there are different international organizations that are built to address the
different problems that the countries are experiencing including the act of Terrorism. But
although it is already given that these nations are helping each other to combat the said problem,
there are still effects that the country who have terrorists may feel, such as the Philippines,
especially in international relations and trading. Due to these circumstances, there are companies
and governments who halt themselves on investing to the Philippines as they might have
experience loss of profit because of the terrorist attacks. These different businesses that might
contribute to the development of the country are also at risk as they also need to consider the
situations here in the country.
What are the implications of youth recruitment of CPP-NPA in terms of (1) security and (2)
development?
The CPP-NPA or the Communist Party of the Philippines- New People’s Army is a group that
has the same advocacy of Marxism and Leninism, they aim for the fall of capitalism and have
goals for a classless society. With these advocacies, despite of the negative connotations, they
really have a good purpose. But on the other hand, there are also scenarios that it does not
already possess their virtue and tend to perform terrorism that affects the lives of the innocent
people.
On the other hand, it can be also observed that there is a large number of youth that are recruited
to the group, and with this fact there are consequences that must be faced especially in terms of
their security and development. Since the recruited youth are vulnerable of misinformation, there
is also a large tendency that they may take a path that equates to brutality or terrorism and cause
harm for their lives. Moreover, as stated that although activism is an upright action, there are still
instances that the path is contrast with their advocacy which leads to the “terrorism” it can
definitely prohibit the youth to take a step forward on developing themselves and be a
contributor to the betterment of the society as they are being concentrated on violence.
How can we and you (as a student and future professional) help our nation to counter
insurgency and terrorism in the Philippines to focus on holistic development in terms of
trade?
Educate ourselves. Education is that one crucial thing that can develop one’s personality and
perspective in life. Through nourishing ourselves with the different knowledge and information,
it will let us to think critically and logically thus, enabling us to halt the terrorism in the country.
Moreover, this must be applied in general; the Philippines should invest on developing the
education system as it will help the youth, the future holders of the society, on realizing that the
overall development is that one thing needed for the success of the country.
In addition, through education, it will let the citizens to be enlightened on the importance of the
different sectors such as the economy and its performance of trading. Being part of the living
evidence on the effects of education system, it nourished me as an individual and as a contributor
to the country the importance of trading whether it is locally or internationally as it will broad the
flow of money in the world and will definitely contribute to the economic sector that leads to the
success of the country.
Final Thoughts / Conclusion
The act of fighting for what is right is a good deed, as long as it does not result to violence and
death. That is why there is a term “diplomacy” that radiates the ideology of Liberalism and
letting it to solve the encountered problems with the conformity of legal actions and not of
brutality. Basing on the perspective of International Relations which is “War is the last resort of
the problems” must be also conveyed to every individual and enlighten them that there is power
through negotiations and fully neglecting cruelty that may affect the lives of people.
