I REMEMBERED a few years back about an interesting thesis prepared by a group of senior political students of a local university where I also used to work and teach for a decade.
They were writing about it as a course requirement for their graduation.
I was one of their few key informants on the subject. They wanted to get first-hand information on what it was to be in the progressive youth movement and how it is in the present.
I told them of my experiences of direct involvement with the progressive youth movement when I was studying in Manila. It was martial law years.
The anti-Marcos ferment was quite strong in our school. As a student then of sociology and philosophy, I was drawn into many study circles, fora and debates.
It was easy for me to assimilate the context and perspective of the nationalist and democratic ideas vis-a-vis the fascist and national security ideology of the Marcos regime.
Not long after, I was already active in school mass education, organizing and protest activities. I contributed to student publication and wrote some political flyers.
I joined demonstrations; few times I went home bloodied from violent encounters with the martial law anti crowd dispersal units; few times I was caught and detained.
But the FLAG lawyers then were so amazing that despite the terror of martial they could get us out of detentions quickly.
On one occasion, there was a big anti-Marcos forum in our school. The late nationalist Senator Jose "Pepe" Diokno and the late Sr. Maranan of CFIC were our speakers. The school was raided, the forum was stopped, the organizers were apprehended and the names of all participants were taken by the military and police.
The incident emboldened me. The next time I realized I was already drawn further into the progressive youth and cultural movement. I helped in consciousness raising and organizing, both in schools and communities.
On the ground, and with dozens of leaders and activists, I learned more about social and national liberation movement, commitment, love for the people and self-sacrifice.
My direct participation in several workers’ strikes and picket lines within the bigger strike movement in Metro Manila made a significant impact in my life.
They were powerful activities that asserted workers rights in the face of the open fascist rule of martial law regime. Hundreds if not thousands of students, youth, church people and professionals learned so much from that movement.
After graduation, I continued my involvement with various sectors and communities in various capacities. The rest is history.
As the left movement developed further, I saw and experience how the progressive youth movement also grew by leaps and bounds during martial law.
The fascist rule had fed enough for the unprecedented growth of the youth movement. But the clear and sharp leadership of the left movement was still the main factor for the growth of the left movement, and so the youth and student movement.
The focus on the organizing of the youth and cultural movement in schools and communities provided the much needed political support for the rapid growth of the basic class movement and formed part of the powerful movement that eventually led to the ouster of the fascist dictator.
More than ever, the progressive youth movement remains an integral part of the continuing post-Marcos struggles for genuine national and social liberation.
The present youth movement may not be as a powerful single movement than before due to the many cultural facades of the present conditions; but it has become more widespread, more deepened, creative and highly adaptive to the present conditions.
The youth and students are by their nature remain and will always be dynamic, energetic and idealist - factors that are symbiotic with activism.
Many of my contemporaries are already senior citizens.
But the countless of youth we have inspired along the way towards our twilight years, have caused new breed of young leaders, ever more determined and dynamic to assume bigger roles and carry struggles in various forms, with still a clear and single strategic direction - change the system.
The progressive youth movement continues to provide fresh and young leaders to the left movement, and inspiration to those who wish a better future for our country and government. In provinces where the left movement is strong, the progressive youth movement is almost equally strong and inspiring more.
Those who have dismissed the progressive youth movement and youth activism as a thing of the past are certainly wrong and ignore the lessons in our history.
So long as the conditions that breed poverty, inequality, exploitation, and oppression exist and perpetuate itself, there will always be youth and students who will stand up against the system, and the parents, kin and friends who will always be there to give support.
The youth will always be the source of fresh, creative, dynamic minds and spirit in the movement for national democracy.
This is the reason why the national democratic movement and other patriotic groups are not aging, literally and organizationally because they are tireless in educating, organizing and mobilizing the youth wherever they are.
This is captured by a popular dictum in our times, “go where the masses and the youth are, take root and blossom among them.”