The worsening economic crisis, growing misery of the people, and sharpening infighting among factions of the Philippine ruling class have created the most favorable conditions for the advance of the national democratic revolution.

Poverty and hunger are reaching record levels. In December 2024, 63% of Filipino families—approximately 17.4 million households—considered themselves poor, up from 16.3 million in September 2024. This marks the highest self-rated poverty level in 21 years. Hunger continues to stalk millions, with 27% of families experiencing involuntary hunger in the first quarter of 2025—the highest since the pandemic began. These figures are not mere statistics; they represent the daily torment of the masses abandoned by a state that only serves the ruling class.

All the while, wages remain stagnant as the prices of rice, fuel, and other basic goods skyrocket. The minimum wage in many regions is far below the family living wage (Php1,200 or USD20.85), with inflation eating away at whatever measly increases workers receive. This economic hardship pushes even more Filipinos into informal, low-paying jobs, or forces them to leave the country in search of survival. Meanwhile, the government boasts of “economic growth” that only benefits foreign investors, big landlords, and business tycoons. Every payday, the Filipino worker is robbed twice—by inflation and by the ruling class parasites.

As the masses suffer, the ruling elite bicker over power. The contradiction between the Marcos Jr. clique and the Duterte camp has intensified, but make no mistake—they are two faces of the same rotten system. Both perpetuate the same brutal counterinsurgency program. Both are complicit in the killing of activists, unionists, NDFP peace consultants, and revolutionaries. From Duterte’s bloody reign to Marcos Jr.’s continuing red-tagging and militarization and bombings in the countryside, the war against the people persists.

This infighting is a scramble among thieves for dominance over a decaying system. While they attack each other in the halls of power, they remain united in repressing the people’s resistance. To maintain their hold, both camps scramble to project a false image of being “pro-people.” Marcos Jr. flaunts token aid programs and infrastructure projects while Duterte posture with nationalist rhetoric. These theatrics are meant only to deceive the masses.

But the people are not fooled. In the countryside, the people’s army continues to grow. In the cities, the youth, workers, and urban poor are rising in protest. More and more are realizing that real change will not come from the ballot box or elite maneuverings, but from collective struggle. The conditions are ripe. The people are ready. The revolutionary movement must seize this moment to advance on all fronts. The crisis beckons on the toiling Filipino masses like a call to arms. And the people are answering it.