The forum occurs against the backdrop of a sharply diminished communist insurgency. According to government data, NPA strength has fallen to around 780 fighters nationwide—down from a peak of about 25,000 in the 1980s. From January to early August 2026 alone, the AFP reported neutralizing roughly 970 NPA members and supporters (862 of whom surrendered). Localized peace efforts have reintegrated tens of thousands of former rebels through programs such as E-CLIP and the governm

Ayon sa dating kadre na si Lady Desiree Miranda, nananatiling bulnerable ang kababaihan sa iba’t ibang anyo ng pang-aabuso sa loob ng CPP-NPA, sa kabila ng umiiral nitong mga patakaran tulad ng Tres Otso o Three Main Rules of Discipline and Eight Points for Attention. Sa isang panayam na inilabas sa social media, isinalaysay ni Miranda ang matinding hirap, takot, panggigipit, at umano’y pamimilit sa kanya na humawak ng armas. Para sa kanya, inilalantad ng mga karanasang it

Ilang buwan bago siya natagpuan kasama ng isang medic ng NPA sa Cabuyao City, naiugnay na si Pasion sa NPA sa Occidental Mindoro. At ang unang nagkumpirma na kasama niya si Pasion sa NPA ay hindi ang Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), kundi ang kapwa niya U.S. citizen na si Chantal Anicoche. Mahalagang balikan ang detalyeng ito ngayong inilalarawan ng International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP) at Karapatan si Pasion bilang isang “activist” o “c

Nine former members of the New People's Army (NPA) in Las Navas, Northern Samar have chosen to lay down their arms and begin a new chapter in their lives, marking another milestone in the government's peace and reintegration efforts under the whole-of-nation approach. The former rebels were formally presented before the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC) of Las Navas on July 10, where they also surrendered several firearms as a gesture

The Filipino youth have always stood at the forefront of social change. Their passion for justice, equality, and national dignity is a strength that should be nurtured and protected. But passion alone is not enough, it must be guided by wisdom and a careful understanding of history.

Sa huli, ang totoong motibo ng NPA ay hindi ang pagprotekta sa kalikasan kundi ang pagkolekta ng “revolutionary tax.” Kapag tumangging magbayad ang isang kumpanya, doon sila nagiging target — hindi dahil sa kanilang pinsala sa kapaligiran, kundi dahil sa kanilang pagtanggi na sustentuhan ang armadong kilusan. Ito ang mapait na katotohanang kailangang malaman ng publiko upang hindi na sila malinlang ng magandang pakinggan pero huwad na propaganda. Ang tunay na pagtatanggol sa

Kapag matagal kang namuhay sa isang mundong hiwalay sa lipunan, unti-unting lumiliit ang mundong ginagalawan mo. Dahil sa mahabang panahon ng pagkabukod sa kabundukan, marami ang nawawalan ng tiwala na kaya pa nilang bumuo ng normal na buhay sa ibaba. Ang organisasyon na lamang ang tanging nagiging mundo nila. Ang tinatawag naming "rev family"—ang mga kasama—ang nagiging tanging pamilyang kinikilala nila. Sa bawat paglipas ng panahon, unti-unting natatakot ang mga hukbo na mu

Ngayon, nakabalik na ako sa lungsod at nakakabalita na sa mga nakilala ko at nakasama ko sa lungsod, at pakikibakang parlyamentaryo, hindi ko maiwasan mapansin ang agwat namin. Yung mga naging instruktor ko sa BKP* ay mga instruktor na ngayon sa iba’t ibang kulehiyo sa UP. May mga parangal, may mga posisyon, may mga katungkulan. Yung mga nakasama ko sa mga Cultural Night upang pataasin ang kapasyahang tumungo sa kanayunan ay nagpopost ng stories na nasa gym na may mamahali

For years, I believed that genuine change in the Philippines could only come through armed revolution. Like many idealistic young people, I was drawn to the promise of a nation free from injustice, inequality, and corruption. I sincerely believed that taking up arms was not merely an option; it was the only path. I was wrong.

One line from Atom Araullo's graduation speech at UP Baguio this week hit me harder than I expected. "You don't have to kill your dreams in the name of service. Just make sure your dreams don't require you to kill your conscience."

Inside the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA), she was "Ka Kira" - an organizer, recruiter, cadre, and believer in the revolution. Today, however, she is simply Mara: a daughter, a partner, a peace advocate, and a former rebel determined to help others find the path she once struggled to take. Her story did not begin in the mountains. It began when she was only fourteen years old. Growing up in a family with relatives working overseas, Mar

In the third quarter of 1998, Elena received a Party assignment. As a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), she was designated as a cadre tasked with helping lead an NGO operating in Western Mindanao. On paper, the organization focused on disaster preparedness, disaster management education, and measures designed to reduce the impact of natural and human-induced disasters. Its programs targeted remote communities in the region's hinterlands, areas often expo

TULUNAN, COTABATO — Belly Berana Jr. was raised in a family where the revolution was not something distant or abstract. It was part of their everyday life. And long before he carried a firearm as a fighter of the New People’s Army, he had already inherited the war of his parents. He and his three siblings grew up under the care of their grandmother while their parents worked underground as cadres of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the NPA. Their community in Pantu

KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO — What once began as lives trapped in armed struggle is now slowly transforming into stories of recovery, livelihood, and renewed hope as former rebels in South Cotabato continue to receive support from the government through various reintegration and livelihood programs.

Naglabas ng pahayag ang University of the Philippines Diliman University Student Council kasama ang iba pang organisasyon sa loob ng unibersidad, na nanawagan ng hustisya kaugnay ng pagkamatay ni Alyssa Alano, na kabilang sa mga naiulat na nasawi sa armadong engkwentro sa Toboso, Negros Occidental. Ayon sa mga operasyonal na ulat, kinilala na ang 14 sa kabuuang 19 na nasawi na iniuugnay sa New People's Army sa insidente.

Youth organizations in Occidental Mindoro mounted a peace rally on Monday, April 6, 2026, at the San Jose Municipal Grounds, calling for an end to terrorism and reinforcing support for community security amid recent developments involving alleged New People’s Army (NPA) activities in the province. The mobilization was led by Hands Off Our Children, in partnership with the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) Provincial Federation of Occidental Mindoro and the local chapter of Kabataan

Charlize “Ceeka” Garzon, known as “Ka Kaye” inside the movement, was captured by government forces on March 29, 2026, during an armed encounter in Sitio Salafay, Barangay Monteclaro, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. She is a magna cum laude graduate of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where she earned a degree in Arts Management. From the perspective of someone who was once part of the revolutionary movement, Garzon is a victim—but it would be simplistic to claim that it i

“Maraming hugot o pinag-ugatan ang concept,” paliwanag ni Eder. “Isa rito ang patuloy na economic crisis dahil sa mataas na presyo ng langis. Ngayon naman, ito ay panahon ng Kuwaresma — panahon ng pagtutulungan, pagbibigayan, at pag-asa. Ang ‘Rise’ ay gusto nating ipamulat sa bawat isa ang kahalagahan ng pagtayo sa sarili sa panahon ng krisis.”

Led by the Buklod Kapayapaan Federation Inc. (BKFI), thousands of former rebels, community members, youth, farmers, and government partners participated in coordinated activities nationwide to formally mark the National Day of Choosing Peace. This is a collective effort to reclaim the day from its past and redefine it as a symbol of healing and national solidarity. A Nationwide Movement for Peace Around 3,000 participants mobilized across multiple regions, engaging in

BKFI, a national federation of around 55,000 former rebels and people’s organizations, said the anniversary should serve as a reminder of decades of violence, loss, and stalled development in the countryside rather than a celebration of “revolutionary victories.” “Fifty-seven years of the CPP-NPA-NDFP armed struggle has proven to be a vicious cycle of violence that only harmed communities,” the group stated on March 26, 2026. “We speak from experience as former believers i