I have always been critical of the stance of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) regarding our conflict with China over the West Philippine Sea. I was reminded of this with the recent use by China of laser beams to drive away a Philippine Coast Guard ship from the said area. I can be critical now of US imperialism but that does not mean I would gloss over China’s play in the West Philippine Sea.
I know enough about Marxism-Leninism-Maoism to understand what the Chinese are thinking on the matter. Maoists believe that full communism cannot be achieved with a capitalist leader like the US still in existence. China styles itself as a socialist (jumping to that stage from being semi-colonial and semi-feudal like what the Philippines is now).
However, contemplating the eradication of capitalism is akin to erasing the memories of the Marcos dictatorship in the past and the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution that ousted him.
I have yet to experience a sense of closure regarding worldwide capitalism. And I have been obsessing with it this week as we remember once more the 1986 Edsa uprising. Who would have thought that the uprising would happen? How will capitalism end? And will it?
Even now, years after the Edsa uprising, we have another Marcos at the helm.
Which brings me to a question people ask with regard to the presidency of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. For several months now, I have refrained from criticizing Bongbong because he has embraced liberal democracy better than his predecessor. And I prefer for now his stance regarding our conflict with China in the West Philippine Sea. Former President Rodrigo Duterte was too pro-China for comfort. Wasn’t it the “liberal” Albay Rep. Joey Salceda who said that Bongbong is even “out-yellowing” the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III?
Bongbong has become a gentler president than Digong. This was perhaps the reason why the former president had painted him as “weak.” At least, he is not sponsoring a bloody war against illegal drugs. With China’s continued intimidation of the Philippines, he has been pushed more and more to the side of the US. And while I am against US imperialism, I feel China’s bullying ways can be stopped with the US siding with us.
My point is that much has changed in the Philippines since the CPP was founded in 1969. Sadly, the guiding voice that was Jose Maria Sison is no longer around to make part cadres understand better the changing world around them. What should be done, for example, to counter China’s bullying ways?
Or closer to home, where will the country go after this Marcos presidency? Can liberal democracy be resurrected? Or can the “dilawan” recover? The heaviest slap on their faces was when Marcos Jr. won the presidency, giving us another reason to feel pain after the jubilation that accompanied the 1986 people power uprising. And yet Bongbong has seemingly continued to disappoint the anti-Marcos forces in the country with the way he is currently running the country.