A tribute to its heroes and martyrs was a fitting finale to the 10th national congress of the Christians for National Liberation (CNL), a founding member of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
“Inspirasyon natin sila. Hindi sila naging maramot sa buhay nila. (They’re our inspiration. They were never selfish with their lives), said the newly elected secretary general of the CNL, Phillip Rebson.
The names in CNL’s hall of heroes and martyrs left a tradition of service to the masses—those who lived their faith not just in the Churches but also in the communities of the poor and oppressed; and not a few, in guerrilla fronts as members and commanders of the New People’s Army.
Global members of CNL, which was launched in October last year, paid special tribute to Luis Jalandoni, former chairperson of the NDFP peace panel and its international representative when he was deployed abroad in 1976.
“We remember Ka Louie’s life and legacy in his first death anniversary this coming June 7, 2026 … Ka Louie Jalandoni who served as a strong voice for the oppressed and exploited, especially the sugarcane farm workers of Negros both as an activist priest and one of the founders of CNL.” As international representative, Ka Louie Jalandoni helped organize Filipinos abroad and reached out to church leaders in various countries, gathering support for the national democratic revolution.
The NDFP statement signed by its secretary general Elias Dipasupil echoed the same. The heroes and martyrs among church people “did not simply enlighten people about a coming heaven in the far-off future but instead integrated deep into the lives of the masses to understand their misery and strength. They helped them fight the present crisis that made hell become a reality in the here and now,” said Dipasupil.
After the congress delegates crafted a four-year action plan around the theme “Strengthen and expand our ranks and further advance the national democratic revolution with socialist perspective; Deepen our integration with the masses in overthrowing the bureaucrat capitalist and fascist US-Marcos regime,” the elected chairperson Renmin Malaya declared the congress a success. Malaya said the congress was timely as it was held in the context of the rectification movement and amid inter-imperialist conflict and war and the widening cracks among the local ruling classes.
Expanding our ranks
“Tiyak na magiging malaki ang ambag ng CNL sa kasalukuyang pagsisikap na isulong ang rebolusyong Pilipino. Nasa yugto ito ngayon ng panibagong pagpapalakas, matapos dumaan sa panahon ng pag-atras at seryosong mga pinsala bunga ng panloob na mga kahinaan at pagkakamali, (The CNL will certainly make a major contribution to the current efforts to advance the revolutionary movement. It is now in a stage of rebuilding, after a period of retreat and setbacks caused by internal weaknesses and mistakes),” said the CPP Central Committee in a statement addressed to the congress.
In one of the breaks, the session hall door was accidentally locked and the key could not be found. Stuck outside the hall, some delegates tried to find the key, others attempted various tricks to open the lock, while a few looked for a way to access the windows to see if they could get into the hall through it. Eventually, the door was opened and the next session went ahead.
A large part of the congress was devoted to identifying approaches to increase CNL membership by a third, an important component of the four-year program of action. Coming from the different regions across the country, the bishops, religious and pastors, lay workers and youth representatives buoyed each other up in a friendly competition to surpass their organizing targets. Outside of their own regions, each one referred church people they knew who can be contacted, who can provide support, and who can be organized and mobilized for the national democratic revolution.
During the discussion, Rebson pointed out the delegates’ experience with the locked door—when everyone did not sulk with a lost key, did not limit themselves to the familiar ways, and instead looked for other means to open the door. He compared it to their organizing work—to the need to explore all forms of organizing while using the time-tested methods of gathering the church people. After all, he said, the number is just a baseline. The critical signpost is what brings more gains to the people and propels the national democratic revolution to victory.
Deepen our integration
The 10th Congress statement said broadening the church people’s ranks is toward joining and living with the oppressed and exploited and building a “community of faith committed to the liberation of the oppressed.”
The Liga ng Agham para sa Bayan (LAB-NDFP) lauded CNL for giving “emphasis on the importance of deep integration with the masses, which is a crucial step in unlocking the masses’ revolutionary potential and in advancing the national democratic revolution.”
It has been this way since the CNL’s establishment in 1972—the commitment to participate in the people’s war to liberate the poor, oppressed, and exploited. CNL as one of the founding members of the NDFP helped build the basic alliance of workers and peasants, and drew in church people on the side of the oppressed and to support and join the revolution.
Proud of CNL’s achievements, NDFP peace panel member Coni Ledesma said, “May CNL continue to advance, welcome more new members and steadfastly bear witness to what true Christianity truly is—standing up and fighting for the rights of the oppressed and exploited.” Coni Ledesma is one of the pillars of the CNL.
CPP’s Central Committee noted, “Katulad na gumampan ng malaking papel ang CNL noong unang yugto ng pagsulong ng demokratikong rebolusyong bayan sa maagang bahagi ng dekada 1970 at sa muling paglakas noong ikalawang dakilang kilusang pagwawasto, tinatanaw namin ang makabuluhang papel na gagampanan ng CNL sa pagsisikap na lahatang-panig na isulong ang mga rebolusyonaryong gawain sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa (Much as CNL was pivotal to the upsurge of people’s democratic revolution in the country in the early 1970s—and again during the Second Great Rectification Movement—we envision CNL taking on a significant role in a nationwide, coordinated effort to advance revolutionary tasks and initiatives across every region.”)
In keeping with this, Malaya reiterated CNL’s resolve to continue to immerse themselves in the struggles of the oppressed and exploited—the peasants, workers, indigenous peoples; and to work for just peace and advance the national democratic revolution. Malaya also emphasized the need to deploy forces to the New People’s Army, aside from the material and technical support.
Rightly, the 10th Congress ended: “With urgency, let us faithfully advance the armed struggle. Proclaim and bear witness to the justness of the people’s revolutionary war against the unjust and ruthless war of the ruling elite. Support and cherish the New People’s Army, develop and intensify the armed struggle. Let us reaffirm our vow to heighten the support in all fronts and carry forward the national democratic revolution with socialist perspective” ### (Priscilla Guzman)
