The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today extended its sympathies to the millions of people affected by super typhoon Yolanda which ravaged provinces in Eastern and Central Visayas, in Panay, Negros, Masbate, Mindoro, Palawan, and other islands, as well as in areas in Eastern and South Eastern Mindanao, Northern Mindanao and provinces in Southern Luzon.

At the same time, the CPP called for mass mobilization across the country and abroad, to generate emergency supply and funds for rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts. The CPP called on “people in the areas least affected by the storm to extend maximum possible help to the people who are most in need of emergency assistance.”

Yesterday, tropical storm Yolanda (international name Haiyan) barreled across the Philippines, leaving a wide swath of destruction. Yolanda is considered to be among the strongest typhoons ever to hit land, and one of the most powerful of storms over the past 30 years.

The CPP said that among the areas which were devastated by the strong winds are revolutionary base areas which are within the scope of authority of the provisional revolutionary government, and in the areas of operation of the New People’s Army and other revolutionary mass organizations.

The CPP also pointed out that many of the areas ravaged by the typhoon were those recently hit by powerful earthquakes where people were most vulnerable to the strong winds and rains.

“These areas are among the most impoverished in the entire country, where the majority are poor peasants, unemployed farm workers, small fisherfolk and indigenous peoples,” said the CPP. “They have long been abandoned by the reactionary government and will not be among its priorities for assistance.”

The CPP said it is still awaiting detailed reports from its local committees, as well as mass organizations and NPA units in the areas.

#Philippines #TropicalStormHaiyan #CommunistPartyOfPhilippines #TyphoonYolanda #Asia

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) today called on all revolutionary forces, especially barrio revolutionary committees in areas within scope of the most likely path of the incoming super-typhoon, to immediately put into place plans to collectively confront the possibly disastrous impact of the strong winds, rains, floods, landslides and mudflows in order to minimize the loss of lives and immediately undertake rehabilitation efforts.

According to international weather monitoring agencies, tropical storm Haiyan (local name Yolanda) is set to impact any part of the Philippine archipelago from Bicol to Northern Mindanao on Friday afternoon with winds reaching more than 215 kph.

“All revolutionary government committees down to the Barrio Revolutionary Committees, local branches of the CPP, basic units of the New People’s Army and revolutionary mass organizations in Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island, Southern Mindanao, North Eastern Mindanao, North Central Mindanao and adjacent regions should immediately undertake efforts to prepare for the impact of typhoon Haiyan,” said the CPP.

“BRCs in populated areas in geologically hazardous areas, including those at the foot of mining areas and logged over mountains, must prepare to mobilize for organized mass evacuation, putting into place measures to collectively monitor the exact path of the typhoon in the crucial hours before impact, as well as areas of likely floods and mudflows, in order to act with dispatch in the face of any contingency.”

“Every BRC should ensure the safety and welfare of the entire population in their areas of responsibility,” said the CPP. “They must give special attention to the elderly, the sick, the children, the widows and others who may not be able to sufficiently prepare for the storm.”

“The BRCs should be able to account for the entire barrio population during and immediately after the storm and promptly carry out emergency rescue operations when the need arises,” said the CPP.

“In the past, the organized mobilization and swift action of the local Party branches and the barrio committees have been the most crucial factor in ensuring the safety of the population, minimizing the impact of storms and assisting the masses in immediately resuming their lives,” pointed out the CPP.

#Philippines #CommunistPartyOfThePhilippines #NewPeoplesArmy #TropicalStormHaiyan #Asia