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

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.

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

Very few of us former rebels knew Bobet before his tragic death. But when the news came, we grieved because his life represented the same ordinary dream we once shared before ideology taught us to look down on ordinary dreams as too small, too reformist, too insufficient.