Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the National Democratic Front of the Philippines on devastation caused by typhoon Durian and the relief efforts organized by the progressive movement there.

The NDFP is an alliance of revolutionary organizations drawing from different sectors of Filipino society, including trade unions, peasants, women, students and religious organizations. The NDFP includes the insurgent New Peoples Army (NPA) and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

National Democratic Front of the Philippines

International Information Office

5 December 2006

Dear Comrades and Friends,

The super typhoon Durian has brought great devastation to the people in the Bicol and other regions of the Philippines. More than a thousand people are feared dead or missing and hundreds of thousands more are affected and displaced from their homes. And the numbers are still rising. Most of those affected are the poor peasants who suffer the brunt of both natural and man-made disasters. News and images of the devastation have been reported by international media, including the CNN and BBC.

The revolutionary movement has expressed deep sympathy to the victims and has called for a massive mobilization of the revolutionary forces in order to carry out relief and rehabilitation work among the people affected by the disaster. Red fighters of the New People’s Army and contingents of revolutionary mass organizations have been asked to give priority to organizing, assisting and coordinating relief efforts, and ensure that food and other assistance will go to the victims and their families.

The revolutionary movement has also called to task the Arroyo regime for its failure to take the necessary measures to immediately evacuate the people despite the warnings of its own agencies. The regime completely ignored the warning that the recent accumulation of lahar and other debris around Mayon Volcano would result in avalanches in case of typhoon. The policies of the Arroyo regime to allow the most unbridled forms of logging and mining have caused wide-scale deforestation, soil erosion and other forms of environmental destruction.

The National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) is appealing to you to support the relief and rehabilitation activities which Filipino revolutionary forces are undertaking in the areas affected by the disaster. You can course your financial support through the following bank account number of the NDFP International Information Office:

NDF St. Internationaal Informatie Buro

Account Number 394570642

Rabobank

Utrecht, The Netherlands

t.a.v.: Typhoon victims

For more information on the affected areas please access: www.ndfp.net and/or www.philippinerevolution.net

Your assistance will somehow alleviate the sufferings of the victims and give them the necessary and immediate aid they need.

Thank you for your support.

In solidarity,

NDFP International Information Office

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