IT SEEMS that despite all the efforts — sincere or otherwise — the Philippines simply cannot shake off its “Third World” label. During the 1970s, we were called the “sick man of Asia.” Now, more than half a century later, we have become the “laughingstock of Asia.”
There is no denying that many of our public officials have behaved less like genuine political leaders and more like traditional politicians obsessed with enriching themselves through “maletas” of you-know-what instead of serving the people. The Philippines is a country blessed with abundant natural resources, yet it has been impoverished by corruption and self-serving governance.
From non-existent flood control projects to insertions and manipulations in the General Appropriations Act or national budget, the nation continues to suffer from one scandal after another.
On top of all these problems, the country still faces a communist insurgency that has persisted for more than 50 years. Although the Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) have reportedly dismantled all 89 guerrilla fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) through a whole-of-government approach and Barangay Development Programs, the threat has not completely disappeared.
With their ideology no longer capable of sustaining widespread support, the remaining communist stragglers have increasingly resorted to banditry. As the insurgency steadily loses ground in the countryside, the battleground has shifted to urban areas. Cities are now emerging as primary targets of the CPP-NPA-NDF disinformation campaign.
Highly urbanized cities are being deliberately targeted as hubs for propaganda and psychological operations. Digital platforms and social media have become the weapons of choice — tools used to sow distrust, distort realities, and agitate public sentiment against the government.
One of the primary recruitment grounds for the CPP-NPA-NDF has long been the country’s colleges and universities. Under the guise of “student activism,” impressionable young people are allegedly enticed to join left-leaning organizations such as the League of Filipino Students and the College Editors Guild of the Philippines.
Many of these recruits are reportedly brought to training camps for immersion and ideological indoctrination. Some eventually become armed fighters, while others are groomed for roles in party-list organizations such as Kabataan and Gabriela. Others, meanwhile, become what critics describe as “useful idiots,” frequently seen participating in rallies and demonstrations.
As can be seen, the problem did not disappear — it merely shifted venues.
A few decades ago, neighboring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia also grappled with communist insurgencies. Yet today, these countries are relatively free from such threats and have emerged as progressive economies. According to supporters of stricter security policies, the reason is simple: they enacted and strongly enforced anti-subversion and anti-insurgency laws.
Take note that Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia are now developing nations with robust economies, while the Philippines remains mired in corruption and underdevelopment.
Ironically, the Philippines once had the Anti-Subversion Act of 1957, also known as Republic Act No. 1700. The law outlawed the CPP, the Hukbalahap, and successor organizations, on the grounds that these groups were allegedly involved in a conspiracy to overthrow the government and impose a totalitarian regime. The law also prohibited membership in and association with these organizations.
However, in 1992, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act No. 7637, repealing the Anti-Subversion Act — a move critics now argue brought the country back to square one.
Today, critics claim that the CPP-NPA-NDF and their alleged front organizations, backed by what they describe as pseudo-communist remnants of the First Quarter Storm generation, continue to recruit and influence naïve students overflowing with youthful idealism, turning them either into cannon fodder or “useful idiots.”
The latest controversy cited by critics is the “Le Affair Toboso” incident, in which 19 artists, cultural workers, and researchers — described by some sectors as civilians and not armed fighters — were reportedly killed while allegedly participating in activities linked to the CPP-NPA-NDF.
Meanwhile, in Congress, Makabayan bloc party-list groups such as Kabataan and Gabriela continue to face accusations from critics that they are undermining the government while using government resources.
So yes, according to advocates of tougher anti-insurgency measures, it may be time to revisit the Anti-Subversion Law and criminalize membership in the CPP-NPA-NDF./PN
