Pahayagan ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas

Pinapatnubayan ng Marxismo-Leninismo-MaoismoANG

Oppose US militarydominationin the Philippines

The chief of the US Pacific Com-mand (USPACOM) made the roundsto inspect the status of the facilitiesbeing prepared by the Philippinegovernment for the US military. Thevery top echelon of the AFP itselfserved Harris in his "area familiariz-ation".

The visit of the puppet state'smaster comes amid non-stop effortto strengthen US military presencein the Asia-Pacific. US military "Asiapivot" operations continue to becarried out to ensure strategic in-terests in the region.

Over the past years, the Philip-pines has served as a large US milit-

ary base for its surveillance, muscle-flexing and power projection opera-tions in the region.

Even if the Enhanced DefenseCooperation Agreement (EDCA) forreestablishing US military bases inthe Philippines signed last year isnot yet fully implemented, US milit-ary warships have been makingaround a hundred port calls a year.They dock wherever they wish forrepairs, resupply and rest.

For over a decade, several hun-dred American soldiers have beenstationed in the Philippines and in-tervening in its internal affairs.

US and Philippine military offi-

Aquino and his military and security officials odiously salutedvisiting Adm. Harry Harris, recently installed commander of theUS military forces in the Pacific. In the course of three days,

Aquino and his officials threw away all remaining national dignity andpresented themselves as lackeys of high American officials.

Vol XLVI N o. 10

September 7, 2 015

www. phi l i ppi nerevol uti on. net

EditorialMassacre in Lianga

THE Communist Party of the Phil-ippines strongly condemns theAquino regime and its ArmedForces of the Philippines for themassacre of civilians in Surigaodel Sur last September 1. The in-human military and paramilitarytroops of the 36th IB no longerrecognize any bounds in murder-ing a teacher, a tribal leader andhis cousin in Han-ayan, BarangayDiatagon, Lianga.

The Filipino people are burn-ing with rage over the regime’sdirty war orgy. The successivemassacres and killings these pastweeks are clearly carried out un-der the command of the military’stop echelon.

The paramilitary Magahat-Bagani murdered EmeritoSamarca, 54, Dionel Campos andBello Sinzo in front of hundredsof their barrio-mates. The Maga-hat-Bagani is organized, armedand directed by the 36th IB.

Samarca was the director ofthe Alternative Learning Centerfor Agricultural and LivelihoodDevelopment (ALCADEV) whileCampos was the leader of Ma-lahutayong Pakigbisog Alang SaSumusunod (MAPASU). Sinzo wasCampos’s cousin.

On August 30, troops of the36th IB and Special Forces Regi-ment arrived in Han-ayan. Theyset up their position in thebarangay center and occupiedthe function hall of ALCADEV andsome classrooms of the schoolrun by Tribal Filipino Program ofSurigao del Sur (Tripfss).

continued at page 3

September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN2

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EEddiittoorriiaall:: Resist US military domination

in the Philippines 1

Massacre in Lianga 1

Fascist terror in the countryside 4

Fascism and deception 6

US top brass visits Phils 7

US aggressiveness towards Russia 9

Nine offensives in Panay 10

Contractualization in Davao 10

Against contractualization in ST 11

Zero Remittance Day 12

Abandoning education 13

Vol XLVI N o. 10 | September 7, 2 015

Contents

cials have been talking of "interop-erability" or supposedly raising thecapability of both military forces tocooperate in operations. To makeUS military intervention acceptable,it falsely claims that such "interop-erability" serves co-operation during dis-asters. It also claimsthat its heightenedpresence in thePhilippines favorsPhilippine assertionof sovereignty in itsterritorial watersand exclusive eco-nomic zone againstChinese claims.

In truth, the UShas no other aim behind"interoperability" otherthan directing and con-trolling the programs,priorities, plans and op-erations of the AFP in or-der to make it servetheir interests andneeds.

To this end, theUS military is pushing for AFP

"modernization" to use it for ad-vancing its interests and needs inits operations in the region. Thisincludes the "modernization" ofnaval base facilities in Palawanboasted by the AFP that will be

mainly used bylarge US war-ships. The planto build "worldclass" trainingfacilities insideFort Magsaysayin Nueva Ecijawill mainly servethe US troopswho plan to basethere.

In the nameof "interoperab-ility", the USmilitary islaunching train-ings which in-clude indoctrin-ation in the

ideology and in-terests of the US im-

perialists. The US controls theminds of Philippine military and po-

lice officials. This is starkly evidentin the AFP's Oplan Bayanihan thatis closely patterned after the USCounter-Insurgency Guide.

US military domination in thePhilippines is flagrant. Just as inthe bungled Mamasapano opera-tions, the US outrightly trampleson the country's sovereignty inlaunching operations in the coun-try, and worse, using local and po-lice forces in these operations.

The AFP's counter-revolu-tionary war tactics are all derivedfrom the manuals of its US milit-ary masters. The Aquino regime's"straight path" psywar was dir-ectly set by its US embassyteachers. The current campaignof suppression of the AFP againstcivilians they suspect to be partof the revolutionary mass baseare also drawn from the cam-paigns of violence and bombingbeing conducted by US militaryforces and its allies in Pakistan,Afghanistan, Syria, Turkey andother countries.

Under the Aquino regime, theUS imperialists' military interven-tionism has become more brazenand outright. The regime is moredetermined to serve its imperial-ists masters hoping its faction willenjoy continued political supportespecially with the approaching2016 elections. Thus, the US isable to further economic andpolitical domination in the coun-try. The Philippines has no inde-pendent foreign policy and insteadjust follows US lead.

The Filipino people must op-pose all-out US military dominationin the Philippines. They must assertthe country's right to be free fromthe presence of foreign militaryforces. They must oppose with alltheir might the implementation ofEDCA and demand its repeal.

The Filipino people must bringto justice the Aquino regime re-sponsible for its treachery to thecountry's sovereignty. Aquino mustpay dearly for allowing the US torule and control the country.

ANG

ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 3

The next day, paramilitarytroops of Magahat-Bagani arrived,fired indiscriminately and set fire tothe MAPASU cooperative. Morethan P5 million was lost as the co-operative building was entirely gut-ted including items of merchandiseand sacks of rice inside.

Before dawn on September 1,the paramilitary troops wentaround the community. They kickeddoors and told the people to gatherat KM16 in the said village. Thestaff, teachers and students of AL-CADEV were driven out of theschool but Samarca was detained.At KM16, Campos and Sinzo wereordered to sit in front of a storewhere they were both gunned downin front of the residents of six sitioswho were told to gather there. Thepeople were told to leave the placein two days otherwise they would allbe killed.

Before the Magahat-Baganitroops left, they ordered the peopleto remain prostrate while confiscat-ing their cell phones and cameras.They burned down parts of theTripfss school, and scattered leaf-lets with the Bagani logo. It tooksome 20 minutes after the Baganileft before the shocked peoplestirred.

When the students and teach-ers returned to ALCADEV, theyfound Samarca’s body on thesecond floor, arms and feet boundwith rope, throat slit from ear toear, face bruised and almost unre-cognizable, with several stabwounds on his stomach.

Because of this, around 362Lumad families or 1,804 individualshave now sought refuge in the Pro-vincial Capitol Sports Complex inTandag City. They came from 10communities of Diatagon, five com-munities of Buhisan, San Agustin,and one community of Carasan,Tago. Among the evacuees are 27teachers and staff of ALCADEV andseven schools of Trifpss. This is thesecond evacuation of the Lumad

community in Diatagon since Octo-ber 2014. At that time, 1,800Manobos evacuated after theBagani gunned down Henry SarsonaAlameda, a council member of MA-PASU, and Aldren Dumaguit.

The forced evacuation came atthe heels of another evacuation ofmore that 300 Lumad families fromSan Miguel, Surigao del Sur, afterBagani troops under HasminAcevedo murdered brothers Cris-anto and Ely Tabugol inside theirown home the night of August 28.

Around seven in the evening,the Tabugol brothers came home tofind the paramilitary troops alreadyinside. Despite their pleas formercy, Ely was shot at close rangefirst at the foot then on the fore-head. He died from nine gunshotwounds. Crisanto tried to run butwas felled by three bullets.

WWiiddeesspprreeaadd oouuttrraaggeeaanndd ccoonnddeemmnnaattiioonn

Various progressive groups im-mediately expressed indignationover the massacre and the intensi-fying militarization in the coun-tryside.

On September 1, Karapatan andBagong Alyansang Makabayan helda candle-lighting ceremony inQuezon City.

The University of the Philip-pines (UP) community, togetherwith the Save Our Schools Network,also held a candle-lighting cere-mony on September 2.

Last September 3, angry youthand students stormed Gate 2 ofCamp Aguinaldo in Quezon City inreaction to the series of massacres.They threw red paint-bombs andpainted slogans on the camp’swalls. Among those who joined theprotest were students of the Col-lege Editors Guild of the Philippines,League of Filipino Students andAnakbayan.

The Education Forum for Devel-opment (EFD), a network of 100schools, asserted that "it is dis-turbing that military harassmentand attacks against Lumad-built

schools as well as their communitieshave escalated under the Aquinoadministration…[It’s] silence or in-action to address the matter istantamount to the government'spromotion of big business at theexpense of the lives of the indigen-ous people's communities."

According to Anakbayan-USA,“The spate of… human rights viola-tions, military operations on com-munities, and killings of communityleaders are products of Aquino’sOplan Bayanihan, wherein the Phil-ippine military is serving as an ‘in-vestment defense force’, or as aprivate military for large corpora-tions.”

The New York Committee forHuman Rights in the Philippinesstrongly condemned the torture andmurder of Samarca, Campos andSinzo. BAYAN-USA also expressedsolidarity with the victims and de-clared that “Under Oplan Bayani-han, the Armed Forces of the Phil-ippines are escalating theirrepression against activists withcomplete impunity as Aquino pre-pares to exit Malacañang.”

Rep. Carlos Zarate of BayanMuna noted that “killings and hu-man rights violations have becomethe Aquino administration’s legacyto the Lumad.”

ALCADEV was established byMAPASU and Tripfss in response tothe dearth of education services tothe Lumad people of the Mindanaomountains. Aside from literacy andmathematics, they also study agri-cultural production and Lumadpeople’s rights. This has earned theire of the state because the indi-genous people are learning to fightfor their rights.

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September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN4

Mounting fascist terrorin the countryside

Amid the din of pre-election scene-stealers, fascist terror is engulf-ing the countryside under Oplan Bayanihan’s war of repression.

Whether armed or civilian, no distinctions are made in the increasingnumber and intensifying massacres, extra-judicial killings, illegal ar-rests and indictments on trumped-up charges, torture, harassment,threats, strafing, bombardment and other human rights violations.

CCiivviilliiaann mmaassssaaccrreessaanndd eexxttrraajjuuddiicciiaall kkiilllliinnggss

As the latest figures show,there have been 36 victims of extra-judicial killings in the first eightmonths of 2015. Twelve of themwere in August alone. From July2010 to March 2015, the Bicol re-gion registered the highest numberof victims at 69. Southern Mindanaocame next with 35 murders, fol-lowed by Southern Tagalog with 22.There has been 14 massacres, with48 victims. Seven of them wereminors.

BBuukkiiddnnoonn.. In August 18, thebutcher unit of the 3rd SpecialForces Company (SFC) of the 1st SFBattalion (SFB) under the commandof Captain Balatbat massacred fiveManobos belonging to the Samiaand Somina families in BarangayMendis, Pangantucan. HerminioSamia, 70, his son Joebert, 20,grandson Norman, 13, and nephewsElmer Somina, 17, and Emir Somina,19, were gunned down brazenlyeven as they raised their hands anddeclared that they were civilians.

Earlier, at 4:00 p.m., an NPAunit ambushed troops of the 3rdSFC about four kilometers from theSamia household. 2Lt. Alvin Balang-cod was killed in the firefight andanother soldier seriously wounded.At around 5:30, the soldiers retali-ated and slaughtered the Samiafamily. They then took a weaponwhich the NPA had left behind andplaced it near their bodies. The403rd Brigade commander himselfand his spokesperson presented thebodies to the media as "NPA mem-bers" killed in an encounter.

Herminio's 15-year-old grand-son survived the massacre. He re-lated how they were ordered tocome out of the house and thenshot one after another. Due to hispoor eyesight, the senior Herminiowas the last to come out. Never-theless, the soldiers shot him first.His guts were blown out and hisspine shattered. Elmer was shotnext. His hand was torn off fromhis arm and his face badly damagedby a bullet which hit him at his nose.Jobert was shot beside him. Emirwas shot near the door, with Nor-man only a few steps away. Nor-man’s right ear was torn off and hisjaw splintered.

According to the survivor, thevictims pleaded for the soldiers toarrest them for whatever cause in-stead, but they were still shot atclose range. The survivor was ableto hide behind some rocks, thenmanaged to run away. After he re-counted the ordeal to his barrio-mates, he lost his voice and hasdifficulty speaking due to traumasince then.

Herminio is knownas Datu Intabol, amember of the

leading council of elders in theircommunity.

The next day, 22 soldiersordered 27 residents of Sitio Man-dum of the same barangay to takethe corpses to the funeral parlor,while the murdering troops re-mained at the daycare center andbarangay hall. They listed down theresidents' names, took their pic-tures and told them to refrain fromlooking at the soldiers' faces.

The 15-year-old survivor is nowin the custody of Jomorito Goaynon,chairperson of Kalumbay, a regionalorganization of indigenous people ofNorthern Mindanao. He is in theprocess of overcoming his trauma.

According to Erio Inahan,chairperson of the Manobo FarmersAssociation in Pangantucan, thevictims were peasants and membersof their organization, registeredvoters in the barangay, and areeven listed 4Ps beneficiaries.

Soldiers of the 1st SFB alsomassacred four farmers in Bugna,Barangay Casinglot, Tagoloan, Mis-amis Oriental last March 28. Asidefrom the four killed, three otherswere wounded in this massacre. Likethe Samia and Somina families, theywere accused of being “NPA mem-bers”. This was also the fate of thefour habal-habal drivers who wereshamelessly massacred by the 9thIB in Cawayan, Masbate last August3 after they helped transport

ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 5

wounded soldiers, and the father-and-son victims Ariel and AllanBartulay of San Jacinto, Masbatelast August 2. (See Ang Bayan, Au-

gust 21 , 2015. )

BBiiccooll.. Elements of the 31st IBshot and killed radio broadcasterTeodoro “Ka Tudoy” Escanilla, 63,Karapatan-Sorsogon spokesperson,in Barangay Tagdon, Barcelona,Sorsogon in August 20. Escanillawas sleeping when six soldierswhose faces were covered withblack cloth hurled stones at hishouse at around 11 pm. When helooked out the window, he was shotwith a cal. 45 pistol and an M16.The killers escaped on three motor-cycles together with eight othersaboard a tricycle. Ka Tudoy sus-tained gunshot wounds on thestomach, left shoulder and rightcheek. He died while being treatedin a hospital.

Escanilla has long been a targetof the 31st IB because of his daringexposés about the military’s humanrights violations in his radio pro-gram “Pamana ng Lahi” (Legacy ofthe Race).

NNoorrtthh CCoottaabbaattoo.. Joel Gulmaticowas shot to death while passing bya detachment manned by elementsof the 57th IB on his way home toBarangay Naje, Arakan, North Co-tabato in August 18. Gulmatico isthe chairperson of Arakan Pro-gressive Peasant Organization andan active defender of peasantrights.

IIlllleeggaall aarrrreesstt aanndd ttoorrttuurreeUnder the US-Aquino regime,

laws which are supposed to protectcitizens are turned against them.Filing of trumped-up criminalcharges against activists and ordin-ary citizens are part of the milit-ary’s standard operating procedurewhen they find it difficult to use theworn-out excuse of identifying thevictims as "NPA members."

BBuukkiiddnnoonn.. Fifteen civilians wereillegally arrested by troops of the23rd IB and 8th IB in Kitaotao inAugust 26. Among them are Ellen

Manlimbaas, chairperson ofNagkahiusang Maguuma saBarangay White Culaman, ElizardoLabadan, Editha Bontao, JunPellazar, Camilo Asunan, NoedaManlumaray and her 12-year-oldchild. Eight other residents of SitioPlacatta of the said barangay werealso arrested. The soldiers firstransacked the houses in the sitioand planted evidence so that theywould have a reason for the arrests.The peasants were detained at thebarangay hall until the next day,then taken to Malabalay City byhelicopter. Thirteen were chargedwith rebellion and illegal possesionof firearms and explosives.

IIssaabbeellaa. Danggayan DagitiMannalon ti Isabela (Dagami-KMP)and Anakpawis-Isabela stronglydenounced the warrantless arrestof Vic Feliciano in his home inMatusalem, Roxas, Isabela last Au-gust 13.

Feliciano had just attended ameeting of AMARI-Dagami when hewas arrested. The organization wasdiscussing their plans regardingtheir rights to the land beinggrabbed from them.

SSaarraannggaannii.. Last June 17, morethan 19 individuals were chargedwith attempted murder, illegal de-tention, child abuse and violationof Republic Act 9851. Among themwere leaders of the B’laan, pastorsof the United Church of Christ ofthe Philippines and members of hu-man rights organizations. One ofthose charged was Ruben Wating,a farmer who was arrested lastApril in order to prevent him fromcomplaining about thetorture inflicted onhim by troops of the73rd IB.

The soldierswere conducting mil-itary operations inBarangay Upper Suyan,Malapatan when they ar-rested and tortured Wat-ing. He was forced to drinktwo gallons of coconut wine,kicked on the neck, his left

thumbnail clipped by pliers, andmauled. A soldier pointed a gun athis forehead and ordered him todrop to the ground, while soldiersrepeatedly stepped on his back andlegs. He was then ordered to standup and run, but he refused to fol-low, fearing that he would be shot ifhe did. Later, he was taken to aneighbor’s house where he wasagain mauled, his hands crushedwith a bamboo stick, and lashed onhis back with a belt before beingsent home.

CCrriimmiinnaalliizzaattiioonn ooff ppoolliittiiccaall aaccttiivviittiieessThe filing of trumped up

charges continues against activistsand leaders who assisted Lumadswho fled from their communities inSarangani, Davao del Norte andBukidnon. At the last count, 70leaders have been included in thecharges. Among them are Kar-apatan secretary-general CristinaPalabay and Jacqueline Ruiz of theChildren Rehabilitation Center. TheCriminal Investigation and Detec-tion Group also crammed into thelist of John Does and Mary Does thenames of Rep. Emmi de Jesus ofGabriela, Rep. Carlos Zarate ofBayan Muna, and former congress-man Teddy Casiño.

Since last year, 20 cases havebeen filed against activists and hu-man rights defenders in Mindanao.The overzealousness of the militaryin filing all sorts of cases makestheir charges ridiculous and evenabsurd. Francis Morales, erstwhiledirector of Balsa Mindanao and the

September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN6

environmental group Panalipdan! Mindanao, is includedin the list although he died in November last year. Hisname appears twice on the list and one of his pictures ispasted under the name of Transmission-Piston's EdilGonzaga. Furthermore, Rep. Crispin Beltran's picture isused to identify former Rep. Rafael Mariano of Anak-pawis. Also included in the list of accused individuals areJose Maria Sison and Juliet de Lima, who have been outof the country for almost 30 years.

In the meantime, the Aquino regime’s muchvaunted inter-agency group which the Department ofJustice established purportedly to review cases of ex-tra-judicial killings is inutile and has done nothing tohelp the victims.

In another front, national democratic groups filed acase against Rep. Nancy Catamco of North Cotabato forher role in the police assault at the Haran Compound

last July. Catamco, a rabid defender of the 10th ID, isalso being questioned for providingb defense lawyers totwo paramilitar forces who were charged for the murderof Fr. Fausto Tentorio.

In related news, a group of activists and healthworkers petitioned the Supreme Court for a writ of am-paro and writ of habeas data. Dr. Darby Santiago,chairperson of the Health Alliance for Democracy and hiscolleague Imelda Gerali, a nurse, fear for their livesafter receiving threats and alarming text messages ontheir cellphones. Joining the petition were RebeccaAbelong of the Allied Workers Federation-Kilusang MayoUno (KMU); Neil Ambion, Renato Asa and Loreto Vic-toriano of KMU; Josephine Carlos Betana of Migrante;Lovely Carbon and Jessica Ferrera of the National Unionof Students of the Philippines; and John Paul Lapid of theKabataan Partylist.

Fascism and deception

IT is grossly insulting and derisive of the 4th ID to extend “condolences andsympathies” to the families of the Manobos massacred by the 3rd SpecialForces Company last August 30 in Pangantucan, Bukidnon. (See related art-

icle on page 4) . They are inciting outrage in offering “necessary assistance tothe concerned local officials in order to facilitate the decent burial” of thevictims of their dastardly crime.

This kind of double-faced,forked-tongue regard for the peopleis part of what Lt. Col. Ronnie FelixBabac, commander of 73rd InfantryBattalion, calls "gentle persuasion".While carrying out massacres,shelling communities or forcingpeasant folk to join paramilitaryforces like Alamara, the AFP has thegall to count this as “gentle persua-sion.” This is part of what Gen.Eduardo Año calls “social pres-sure,” which he says must go with“military pressure” for the US-Aquino regime’s Oplan Bayanihan tosucceed.

DDoollee--oouutt pprroojjeeccttss ffoorr sshhoowwOne of the manifest features of

Oplan Bayanihan is its use of de-ceptive programs. Among these areprojects that are only for show un-der the Payapa at MasaganangPamayanan (PAMANA), the Com-prehensive Local Integration Pro-gram (CLIP), and the anomalous4Ps (Programang Pantawid ng Pam-ilyang Pilipino) of the Department of

Social Welfare and Development(DSWD.) These programs aim tofoster passivity among Red fighters,their families and struggling peoplein the countryside.

For 2016, the government allotsup to P12.8 billion for PAMANA, theAFP’s program aimed at appeasingand deceiving people in areas wherethe people’s war is advancing. (Seethe August 21 issue of Ang Bayan).In complicity with the Office of thePresidential Adviser to the PeaceProcess, the AFP puts up fraudulentorganizations to vouch for itsgrants for livelihood projects.

In 2014, the Department of In-terior and Local Government allotedP74 million for CLIP. This programaims to persuade Red fighters tosurrender and exchange their fire-arms for a measly sum. Apart fromits use of deceiving families ofguerrilla fighters, this program is animmense milking cow for militaryofficials.

Civilians are regularly presen-ted as surrenderees, or even ex-

NPAs who have long left themovement and have “surrendered”several times. The more “sur-renderees” the military officialsget, the bigger the funds they canshare among themselves. This Au-gust alone, the media reportedmore or less P1.5 million given toso-called surrenderees fromSurigao del Sur, Catanduanes, andTagum City.

There is also the “counter-in-surgency” program 4Ps which wasalloted P62.3 billion by the DSWDin 2015. Seven years of this pro-gram’s implementation has notmade any dent on alleviatingpoverty despite the government’shype of its purported aim. Its fundallocation was increased to P62.67billion in the proposed budget for2016 in order to focus on moreareas where the revolutionarymovement is strong and to drawthe people away from the revolu-tion. Beneficiaries are given cash inexchange for numerous conditionslike foregoing rallies and refrainingfrom joining progressive mass or-ganizations. If these conditions aredifficult to implement directly, theDSWD schedules its cash distribu-tion to coincide with politicalmeetings or mass actions to pree-mpt the participation of those whohave to line up for the fund.

continued at page 7

ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 7

US Pacific top brass visitsPhilippines

When Adm. Harry Harris, newly installed commander of the USPacific Command, arrived for a three-day visit in the Philip-

pines, regime officials fell over themselves to welcome and serve him.

Accompanied by other militaryofficials and diplomats, Harriscalled on Aquino and the ArmedForces of the Philippines’ (AFP) topofficials, to discuss the US’ latestmoves in Asia and ensure their com-pliance.

Harris spoke with them regard-ing the US Department of Defense’Asia Pacific Maritime SecurityStrategy, a document which coversthe latest US operations in the re-gion in line with its National Secur-ity Strategy and its “pivot to Asia.”

In the guise of promoting “in-teroperability,” he and top brass inthe Filipino military signed theGeneral Security of Military In-formation Agreement (GSOMIA) tostrengthen US control over differ-ent aspects of AFP operations.

Before Harris left in August 8,he toured the AFP’s Western Com-mand headquarters in PuertoPrinsesa, Palawan. The saidheadquarters is a short distancefrom the Carlito Cunanan NavalStation, one of the locations desig-

nated for US naval use.Harris remained silent on the

Aquino regime’s desperate plea forUS air protection to Philippinetroops doing supply runs to its sol-diers in the West Philippine Sea.

UUSS ggeeooppoolliittiiccaall iinntteerreessttssUSPACOM’s area-of-responsib-

ility (AOR) covers 36 countries infour continents. It encompasses thebusiest sea routes for internationaltrade. Eight out of the 10 biggestcontainer ports are in the region.More than 30% of internationaltrade, with a combined cost of $5trillion, traverse the South ChinaSea route. About 2/3 of the world’soil supply transits through the In-dian Ocean to the Pacific. In 2014,about 15 million barrels of oilpassed through the Malacca Strait

DDeecceeppttiivvee oorrggaanniizzaattiioonnssaanndd aaccttiivviittiieess

While organizing paramilitarygroups like the Alamara inMindanao, the AFP also sets upgroups of counterfeit datus tospread lies and destroy the unity ofthe indigenous people. Among thesegroups is the Office of the TribalAssembly of Elders of the LangilanManobo. This was used to make astatement that toed the AFP’s linethat the Lumads staying at the Har-an Compound in Davao City whofled the military operations are vic-tims of human trafficking by Kar-apatan, UCCP and other democraticmass organizations.

Last July, the military goadedsome barangay officials of DatalAnggas in Alabel, Sarangani, to ap-prove a resolution declaring NPAmembers as persona non grata intheir village.

TTrraaddiittiioonn ooff ddeecceeppttiioonnDeception has long been used to

cover up the atrocities by the milit-

ary. This has been so from the“winning the hearts and minds” ofthe US-Marcos regime, the CIVACand SOT, MSOT, RSOT operationsof the succeeding regimes, to thecurrent Community Organizing forPeace and Development underOplan Bayanihan. Pretentious med-ical missions, literacy programs,haircutting services, distribution ofnotebooks, and all sorts of ruses in-crease as military violence becomesmore brutal.

The AFP also focuses on theyouth as particular targets of de-ception. Youngsters are enticedwith cellphone “loads”, internet,snacks and other superficial ploys.The AFP also offers college scholar-ships to those who want to studycriminology. This aims to draw themto the PNP and military, and even-tually make use of them. In NuevaEcija, the AFP held a training insidetheir camp for youth who wanted towork in the call centers.

The AFP utilizes these methodsto cover their violations of humanrights and the rules of war. Theyalso seek to lead the people astray,

make it appear that the state servesthe people and therefore drawthem, especially the youth, awayfrom the people’s war.

However, even if they have de-clared many areas as “insurgency-free” (now called “conflict-man-ageable areas”) the revolutionarymovement continue to grow. Theyouth, in particular, continue to bethe well-spring of activism.

As proof of the AFP’s failure inits Oplan Bayanihan, last August 14,Voltaire Gazmin of the DND, EdwinEnrile of the DILG, Hernando Iri-berri of the AFP and Ricardo Mar-quez of the PNP signed the RevisedJoint Implementing Rules and Reg-ulations to return the main re-sponsibility for “internal security”to the AFP, with the PNP playing asupporting role.

This revised and strengthenedExecutive Order 546, an ordersigned by the previous US-Arroyoregime, legalized the establishmentof paramilitary groups or privatearmies. This was then approved atthe height of extra-judicial killings.

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ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 8

every day.The region is also a rich source

of marine resources. Ten percent ofworld’s fish production comes fromthe South China Sea. Reports es-timate the presence of mineable re-serves in the area that can reach upto 11 billion barrels of oil and 180trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

CCoommmmaanndd aanndd ccoonnttrrooll iinn tthhee gguuiisseeooff ““iinntteerrooppeerraabbiilliittyy””

In line with its latest marine se-curity strategy, the US plans to in-crease the “size, frequency andsophistication” of its military exer-cises in the future. It plans to hold400 “activities” in the Philippines in2015 alone. These include the Ba-likatan 2015, which was conductedin different parts of the country lastApril. Harris boasted that it was thebiggest and most advanced in thehistory of its kind. Fifteen thousandtroopers from the Philippines, US,Australia and Japan took part in theexercise. In August, the USlaunched the Pacific Partnership2015 in the communities of Zam-bales, Pangasinan and Roxas City.

Also in August, the BilateralTactical Exercises involving airforces of the Philippines and the USwas held, as well as OperationLupao, an exercise which focusedon counter-insurgency tactics atthe platoon-level. Prior to this, itwas reported that American troopstrained police forces in Panay andother areas where officials of APECmembercountrieshold theirmeetings.

Alongsidethese exer-cises, the USis also usingthe Philip-pines as atrainingground for otherAsian militaries. Ithas instructed the AFPto enter into militaryagreements left and right

with neighboring countries. US-ini-tiated and -directed exercisesbetween the AFP and other US-con-trolled militaries in Asia are con-ducted non-stop. These include themilitaries of Malaysia, Brunei, In-donesia and Vietnam.

The latest of these is theplanned joint counter-insurgencyexercises to be held in Capas, Tar-lac starting September 9. Indone-sian and Malaysian troops will par-ticipate, alongside AFP soldiers.

EEvveenn wwiitthhoouutt EEDDCCAAImplementation of EDCA has

been delayed after the BagongAlyansang Makabayan and othergroups filed petitions against it inthe Supreme Court. Majority ofsenators likewise passed a resolu-tion stating that the EDCA shouldfirst go through the Senate for ap-proval or rejection. The EDCA wassigned in April 2014, a few days be-fore US Pres. Barack Obama’s visitto the country.

Despite these obstacles, theAquino regime identified in October2014 eight camps and bases for useof US troops and stockpiling of warmateriel. These are Fort Magsaysayin Nueva Ecija; Crow Valley andBasa Airbase in Pampanga; SanMiguel Naval Station in Zambales;Rafael Ramos Naval Station inCebu; and Benito Airbase, CarlitoCunanan Naval Station andBautista Airbase, all in Palawan.

In accordance with EDCA pro-visions,

these locations will host Americanfacilities, serve as storage for mil-itary equipment and bases forAmerican rotating troops.

In the guise of “AFP moderniz-ation,” the regime has continuouslyupgraded these facilities. The UShas directly funded the “moderniz-ation” through foreign military aidand selling the AFP old and obsoletemilitary equipment.

The US aims to utilize facilitiesin Subic Bay, which previouslyserved as the main base of theUSPACOM’s 7th Fleet. After theMilitary Bases Agreement was ab-rogated in September 17, 1991,Subic Bay has become a civilian fa-cility administered by the Subic BayMetropolitan Authority (SBMA).Plans to allocate P1 billion for theconstruction of a naval base in a500-hectare area in BarangayCawag was announced last year.This July, the SBMA and AFP signeda lease agreement that gives theAFP access to Subic facilities for 15years. These moves serve as pre-parations for its eventual use as anAmerican military base.

Even before EDCA, the US hasfrequently used Subic Bay as a ser-vice port for its ships in the region.In 2012, the US company AMSECentered into a partnership withHanjin Heavy Industries and Con-struction, owner of the biggestshipyard in Subic, for the mainten-ance, repair and logistics of USNavy ships. AMSEC is a subsidiary

of HuntingtonIngalls In-dustries, thebiggest USNavy ship-maker, whileHanjin is

Korea’s biggestshipbuilder.Using previous

agreements, the US has continu-ously utilized the Subic Bay. FromMay to August alone, four big war-ships have docked in its ports torefuel and resupply, as well as forits soldiers’ recreation.

September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN9

US aggressiveness towards Russia

(This article is the second in a series of articles discussing the US National Se-

curity Strategy. The first article was published in the August 21 , 2015 issue. )

The National Security Strategy (NSS) document indic-ates how the Obama government is training its at-

tention at Russia. Based on the NSS and the actualmeasures of the US, it is thoroughly and all-sidedly pre-

paring to launch an all-out intervention, subversion or attack againstRussia.

Russia is one of the biggest cap-italist countries that rivals US imper-ialist power. Russia is comprised ofthe largest components of the formerSoviet Union. Aside from controllingvast oil resources, Russia also has avast military machinery and arsenalof nuclear weapons.

The US seeks to wrest controlof large sources of oil from Russiaincluding the Black Sea, the Balkansand the Arctic Sea. The US alsoaims to gain control of the oil routesespecially to Europe. The NSSboasts that the US is now thebiggest producer of oil and gas andthat it will seek to break Europeanreliance on Russian oil. The US aimsto remove Vladimir Putin and re-place him with a pro-US leader.

The US is antagonizing Russiaby describing it in the NSS as an"aggressor" and "violator of sover-eignty". The NSS adds "We will de-ter Russian aggression, remain alertto its strategic capabilities, and helpour allies and partners resist Russi-an coercion over the long term, ifnecessary."

The US is aggressively encirclingRussia. In February 2014, the USprovoked, directly meddled andsupported a coup d'etat in Ukrainewhich overthrew the elected pro-Russia Viktor Yanukovych and in-stalled an anti-Russia and pro-USgovernment. The US worked withneo-Nazi forces behind the coup.Ukraine borders Russia to its south.

With a pro-US government,Ukraine has left the pro-Russia blocand started cooperation with theEuropean Union. It immediately re-ceived a $27 billion loan from the

IMF and World Bank. It hasimposed onerous conditions. The UShas strengthened military control byarming and training the UkrainianArmed Forces and ultra-nationalistparamilitary groups.

The US and NATO arestrengthening their military pres-ence in the guise of "war games"and military exercises. To establishits presence near the Russian bor-ders, the US is provoking the armedforces of Ukraine to resume all-outbombing of Donbass, the easternregion of Ukraine that has declaredautonomy after the installation of apro-US government. Donbass sharesa border with Russia.

The US and NATO have also setup a center for "command and con-trol" composed of several hundredquick reaction troops in Poland. Po-land shares borders with Russia andUkraine. Last March, the US opposeda peace settlement between Russiaand Georgia because this will denythe US a base to position militarybases just outside the Russian border.

While strengthening militarypresence in the west of Russia, theUS is also aggressively establishingitself in Central Asian countries thatare to Russia's east. Currently, it isinterfering in Armenia, Kyrgyzstanand Uzbekistan, all be-longing tothe pro-Russian blocof coun-tries. Topofficials ofthe US havevisited thesecountries to

entice their leaders or twist theirarms to side with the US, or as inthe case of Ukraine, provoke polit-ical turmoil and instigate a coup toinstall pro-US forces to power.

The US asserts that "we willcontinue to impose significant costson Russia through sanctions andother means." To justify the imposi-tion of economic sanctions, the UScondemns as "occupation" the entryof Russian troops into Crimea inMarch 2014 after the majority ofCrimeans voted to break fromUkraine and join the Russian federa-tion.

To further press Russia, the UShas collaborated with Saudi Arabiato increase oil production in orderto pull down prices in the interna-tional market. The fall in oil prices iscalculated to reduce Russian profitsand bring down its economy. Half ofRussia's budget comes from oilearnings.

There is no letup in US diplo-matic pressure against Russia. TheUS and its allies are accusing pro-Russian armed forces for shootingdown the civilian flight MH17 in July17, 2014 in eastern Ukraine.

It insists on circulating specu-lations that pro-Russian forces werebehind the shooting even withoutany basis and conclusive investiga-tion. Recently, they used this ac-cusation to submit to the UN Se-curity Council a proposal to form aninternational tribunal to try thosebehind the crime.

Russia is also the principal tar-get of the $1 trillion modernizationof US nuclear capability. The US aims

to raise its capabil-ity to detect Russi-an nuclear missilelaunch within aminute to gain ad-vantage in the eventof a nuclear warand use this as ad-ditional leverageagainst Russia.

ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 10

Workers oppose contractualization in Davao factory

NPA in Panay launchesnine offensives

WORKERS in Nakayama Technology Corporation, a Ja-panese firm in Barangay Cogon, Digos, Davao del sur,began protest actions last August 5. The protestersblasted the illegal dismissal of more than 100 workerswho refused to sign contracts placing them under a con-tractual agency.

The Nakayama Organization of Workers-SouthernPhilippines Federation of Labor supported the dismissedemployees. According to the workers, the company man-agement declared last June 30 that 157 project-basedworkers would become regular employees. But instead ofregularizing them on July 1, they were forced to signnew contracts that will make them employees of Work-station and Fat Manpower Services. Since this meantthey will no longer be treated as regular workers of Na-kayama, 122 workers refused to sign the contract.

Kilusang Mayo Uno-Southern Mindanao Region(KMU-SMR) spokesperson Carlo Olalo said “these 157

workers should already be considered regular workerssince they have been working with the company for oneto six years.”

Olalo lambasted Department of Labor and Employ-ment Department Order No. 18-A implemented since2011 for “permitting companies to convert “overstay-ing” workers (shopfloor terminology for workers who bylaw, should have been declared as regulars but remaincontractual workers) into agency hires capriciously.”

The KMU-SMR condemned the Aquino regime for “itsespousal of neoliberal policies in labor, particularly thelegalization of contractual employment through thepassage of labor laws and policies that normalize thecontinuous and sustained attack on the workers’ rightto life, human rights, and freedom of association.”

Nakayama started in 2001 and manufactures build-ing and housing contruction materials for export. It has2,000 workers.

Red fighters from the New People’s Army (NPA)-Central Panay (JosePercival Estocada Jr Command) launched nine offensives from

June to August. Six soldiers were killed and three wounded in NPA har-ass operations and ambuscades.

Five offensives were launched inTapaz, Capiz. These include harass-ment operations against a militaryand CAFGU detachment in BarangayDaan Sur on August 20 and two am-buscades against troopers from the69th IB in Barangay Aglinab on Au-gust 1. Three soldiers were killed inthe said ambush. Red fighters am-bushed the same troopers in SitioTobi, Abangay on August 15. Threesoldiers were also killed. Prior tothis, the NPA harassed 61stIB troopers stationed at asmall market atBarangay Katipunanon August 11.

Three offensiveswere launched inCalinog, Iloilo. On August 16, anNPA team attacked the detachmentof the 6th Regional Public SafetyBattalion in Barangay Agcalaga. The

NPA first launched harassment op-erations against the said detach-ment on July 31. Three policemenwere wounded in the operations.

The NPA carried out the opera-tion as punishment against the po-lice unit which has served as pro-tectors of the destructive Jalaurmegadam project which the Tu-mandok people have long opposed.

On July 5, the NPA harassed mil-itary troopers who were acting

as a security unit fora road constructionproject in Bara-ngay BinolusanGrande. Theroad project ispart of the mega-

dam.Meanwhile, an NPA team at-

tacked a military and CAFGU de-tachment in Barangay Agloloway,

Jamindan, Capiz, on July 29. Thesaid detachment served as the 3rdID camp perimeter defense. Aglo-loway is one of the 24 barrios in the33,310-hectare ancestral domainthat the Philippine Army convertedinto a military reservation.

The NPA supports the struggleof the Tumandok people against theconstruction of a megadam in JalaurRiver in Calinog, Iloilo and theplanned construction of another inPan-ay River in Tapaz, Capiz. Bothprojects will submerge hundreds ofhectares of ancestral land and dis-locate thousands of indigenouspeoples.

According to Ka Jurie Guerrero,NPA-Central Panay spokesperson:“The military actions serve as awarning against government agen-cies…government officials under theAquino regime and all those who arepretending to be tribal leaders andelders who are rabid supporters ofthe project to stop all deception andintimidation against the Tumandokpeople.”

These victories belie the AFPboast that Capiz and Iloilo arealready “conflict manageable areas”since December last year.

September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN11

Anti-contractualizationstruggle in Southern Tagalog

Workers in the Southern Tagalog region are steadily advancingtheir struggles against labor contractualization. Starting some

years back, these continue to rise in the past months. While still initial,their victories have unquestionable significance and value especiallysince these were achieved in the midst of intensified repression by cap-italists and the reactionary government.

Among these victories are theCoca-Cola workers strike in 2013and similar actions by workers inTanduay Distillers Inc. last May.This year, struggles were alsolaunched by contractual workers ofKarzai Corporation in Cabuyao, La-guna and of Sagara Metro PlasticIndustrial Corporation in CalambaCity. Associations and unions ofcontractual workers in Manco Syn-thetic, Manila Cordage and AsiaBrewey Inc. were also formed.

These struggles broke out asSouthern Tagalog workers could nolonger contain their anger againstcontractualization and low wages.An estimated 65-70% of the 265,000total number of workers in the in-dustrial enclaves of the region arecontractual. There are cases whereas much as 90% of workers are con-tractuals, as in Tanduay and Karzai.

Like these two companies, thereis the prevalent practice of hiringworkers through “agencies” by cap-italists under the “labor only con-tracting” scheme. There are twoagencies in Tanduay, four in TakataPhilippines and six in Asia Brewery.Most of the time, contractual work-ers have been employed for severalyears already in these factories.

Workers in Coca-Cola havebeen working for several years asregulars before they were “trans-ferred” to contractual agencies todismantle their status and rights.While contractual, those in Tanduayworked for years before they werecompelled to sign under a contrac-tual agency. Capitalists often con-nive with these agencies, if not dir-ectly operate them. In most cases

contracts last less than six months.Workers are constantly threatenedby “endo” (end of contract).

Some also practice “on the jobtraining” or “apprenticeship”,wherein students are taken to be“trained” without payment. In theEMI-Yazaki firm, for example, morethan half of its 8,000 workforce arecontractuals, mostly students fromtechnical schools. There are alsothose who employ “relievers”,“emergency workers” and the like.

In utilizing various forms ofcontractual labor, capitalists in-tensify workers' exploitation andoppression. Wages are pulled downfurther, benefits set by law aredenied and democratic rights aresuppressed, including requiringworkers to sign contracts prohibit-ing unions. Contractual workersperform the same work as regulars,with the same working hours anddegree of work, but with far lowerwages. They are also compelled towork overtime,especially sincedoing so servesas basis for con-tract renewal.

Thestruggles and

initial victories against contractu-alization in the Southern Tagalogregion were achieved through theheightened determination of theworking masses against contractu-alization. Their solid strength wasforged through unions and variousforms of organizations. In 2011workers in the region formed theLiga ng mga Manggagawa Para saRegular na Hanapbuhay (League ofWorkers for Regular Employment orLiga) to support and assist thestruggle against contractualizationin various factories.

In some case, workers tookadvantage of the Labor Code pro-hibition of contracting work thatare “core and essential” to pro-duction. In Tanduay, they insistedthat the Department of Labor andEmployment (DoLE) inspect anddeclare as “core and essential” thework undertaken by workers, thusmaking their contractual status il-legal. Tanduay did not renew theircontracts (“endo”) after six to 15years of work in the company,sparking off their strike. Similarly,the Coca-Cola strike was sparkedoff by making formerly regularworkers subsume themselves toagencies.

Contractual workers used thestrength of concerted action andstrike to assert their rights to reg-ular employment. They were able tostop or derail production andthereby use collective actionagainst capitalists. In addition,these actions brought to focus theirstruggles and served as centers togather political support. The valueof the support of students, churchworkers, lawyers and other sectorsin advancing these struggles cannotbe deprecated.

In some cases, the unity anddetermination to fight exhibited bythe workers forced the capitaliststo respond to their demands andpushed the reactionary governmentto issue rulings that favor theworkers. In the Coca-Cola strike,the company was required to re-cognize the workers as regular em-

ANG BAYAN September 7 , 2015 12

ployees. In the case of Tanduay, the DOLE ordered theregularization of 103 workers, although the companystill refuses to comply.

The advances in the struggle of the workers in STagainst contractualization are preliminary. The move-ment against contractualization must gain much greatermomentum in the face of this widespread problem.However, valuable lessons and inspiration can be drawnfrom these initial victories to help intensify the workers'

struggles in the coming years.The struggles launched in the region inspire the en-

tire Filipino working class. These provide lessons andheighten their fighting spirit to oppose contractualiza-tion and advance the struggle for higher wages and forthe promotion and defense of their democratic rights.These are investments in the effort to thwart the re-lentless offensive of neoliberal policies against theworking class.

Migrants Hold Zero RemittanceDay

Some 140 migrant Filipino groups from the US, Europe and theMiddle East led by Migrante International held a Zero Remittance

Day last August 28. On that day, they concertedly boycotted the send-ing of remittance to their families in the Philippines.

At the same time, Migrante helda picket in front of the Bureau ofCustoms (BoC) in Manila. Last Au-gust 30, a protest action was alsoheld in Hong Kong. The protesterslambasted the additional fees im-posed on balikbayan boxes beingsent to their loved ones in the coun-try. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinasestmates that some $67 million orP3.1 billion would be lost for a dayof zero remittance.

Before the protest, migrantgroups succesfully forced back anearlier Customs order to open andinspect balikbayan boxes. The BoCalleged that these were being usedfor smuggling, resulting in the lossof P600 million uncollected importduties.

Balikbayan boxes are care pack-ages from migrant workers for theirfamilies which contain personal ef-fects. Current regulations allowcontents of up to P15,000 per box.

The scheme to inspect the boxesearned the ire of the public left andright. Customs chief Albert Lina waseventually forced to terminate thescheme and apologize to the mi-grant workers. The migrant groupsassailed the BoC for treating themas smugglers. This scheme is be-lieved to be part of a blatant fund-

raising campaign by the US-Aquinoregime to fund the Liberal Partyexpenses in the coming election.Lina is known to be one of thebiggest contributors to Aquino'scampaign kitty in 2010.

After thwarting the plan tosubject balikbayan boxes to inspec-tion, Migrante continued to castig-ate Lina due to the planned in-crease of duties of up to P120,000for each container van containingbalikbayan boxes. This would resultin an additional P325 fee for eachbalikbayan box. Some P2.34 billionis estimated to be collected by theAquino regime from 7.2 millionboxes sent by migrant workers an-nually.

Migrants were extremelyangered at being considered“smugglers”. Progressive partylistrepresentatives also condemnedthis. They stated that since the BoCcontinues to fail in eradicatingwidespread smuggling, it now isnow going after balikbayan boxes ofOFWs to cover up its failure to curbmassive corruption in the agency.

Customs has been traditionallythe milking cow of the rulingpowerpower, and this is especiallytrue for the Aquino clique. DespiteAquino's “Straight Path” preten-

sions , his regime has registered thebiggest smuggling anomalies. Dur-ing his first three years alone, some2,000 container vans “vanished”and surely went to the business as-sociates of his clique. Almost US$19billion (P874 billion at the exchangerate of P46-US$1) worth of impor-ted goods were not taxed from 2010to 2013. This is six times comparedto the US$3 billion under the Arroyoregime.

The anomalies and corruption inthe BoC continue and intensify fur-ther as Aquino's term is set to endand presidential election ap-proaches. This includes the anomalyof appointing Lina to the agency.

Last April, John Sevila wasforced to resign as Customs chiefamid pressure for him to raise P3billion for the Liberal Party. He wasreplaced by Lina, owner of Air 21, acargo forwarding company, andother firms with direct transactionsto the BoC.

Among Lina's first moves upontaking over was to cancel a P650million modernization contract ofthe BoC that was awarded to Om-niprime Marketing Incorporatedand Intrasoft International grouplast April 13. These two companiesreplaced E-Konek, a company ownedby Lina, after it lost the bidding.Lina's E-konek stood to lose its P200million a year business if it was re-placed. Since the planned modern-ization did not take place, the oldBoC system run by E-Konek was re-stored. The Manila court stoppedthe cancellation of the contract byLina.

September 7 , 2015 ANG BAYAN13

Aquino turns his back on education

VARIOUS youth organizations, alliances and student councils from uni-versities led by the Kabataan Partylist staged a walk-out and march lastAugust 27.

They voiced out their objectionto the pending budget reduction in59 state universities and colleges(SUCs) in 2016, and called for ad-ditional funds for education in thecountry.

Simultaneously, protests wereheld by students from Southern Ta-galog, Western Visayas and Davao.Some P4.1 billion will be cut fromthe Capital Outlay of 40 SUCs whileP477.8 million will be deductedfrom the Maintenance and OtherOperational Expenses (MOOE) of 59SUCs. A total of P2.46 billion willbe withdrawn from 10 SUCs.

Aquino's priorities clearly donot include public education. OnlyP504 billion will be allocated tothe education budget next year.This is 27.03% smaller than theP740 billion allocation for debtpayment.

The past five years have been a

disaster for public education.Budget allocation was so insuffi-cient that universities were forcedto raise tuition fees or imposevarious fees to fill up the deficit.

In 2015, SUCs needed a budgetof P122.7 billion to cover theirneeds. But the Aquino regime onlyallocated P42.2 billion or only athird of what was required.

The abandonment of educationis in accordwith

the implementation of the regime'sneoliberal policies to further dry upand raise profits from the pocketsof the poor parents. They are vir-tually shoving the poor out of theSUCs and castigating them with “ifyou have no cash then don't go tocollege!”

Progressive youth organizationschallenged lawmakers to respond tothe needs of the education sector.They called on students, teachers,parents and all citizens to unite andassert the right to additional fundsfor education and to fight for a na-tionalist, scientific and mass-ori-ented system of education.