Take Our Victories to the Next Day of Protest!

A Statement of Congratulations and Continuing Fight

Reference: Ptr. Dan Balucio – BAYAN-BICOL

      Vince Casilihan – Karapatan-Bikol

November 18, 2014

BAYAN-BICOL and Karapatan-Bikol salute yesterday’s triumphant convergence of KADENA Bicolandia and Manilakbayan ng Mindanao. The coming together of the poor and oppressed people across various regions announces the certainty of victory in the fight against poverty and social injustice.    

More than 15, 000 Bicolanos from all over the region dominated the streets to articulate their solidarity with more than 300 marchers from Mindanao, while advancing other legitimate demands. Bicolanos and Mindanawans exchanged banners and reciprocally pressed for each other’s calls. Such mutual espousal of struggles eliminates sectarian views and cultivates in the people’s minds a comprehensive grasp of poverty and oppression plaguing the whole country. 

The main highways of Sorsogon welcomed the Mindanao delegates in their Luzon leg, with thousands of militant Sorsoganons lining up along major protest centers in the province. Albayanos on the other hand prepared a symbolic Kainang Bayan and shared the province’ prized Pinangat and Bicol Express. In Camarines Sur, a torch parade and a solidarity cultural night capped Manilakbayan’s Bicol phase. Meanwhile, the provinces of Masbate, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes each had their significant mobilizations as testament to the solidarity of Bicolanos with our Mindanawan comrades.  

The region has witnessed yesterday a swelling mass of people rising up against poverty and social injustice, particularly against the loathsome BS Aquino regime. This is on the account of the people’s fortitude in sharply evaluating their despondent conditions, and decisively taking action to command their paths and break away from the chains of an exploitative and oppressive system.

Days of ambivalence and being cowed are over. Today we send off our comrades to continue with their long struggle to Manila. Meanwhile, we return to our communities, our schools and workplaces, and proceed with our daily struggles as well. But in the weeks leading to the next day of protest, we carry on with arousing our fellow peasants, our fellow cultural workers and students, fellow workers and employees, and call for resistance against poverty and oppression. Let us persist in heralding the triumphs of a people united, and spark the righteousness of struggle. Then certainly, on the day that we once again take to the streets, what upheaval shall our voices resound!