The Communist Party of the Philippines made a call on 18 December to “all revolutionary and patriotic forces to organize and mobilize” the Filipino people to carry out relief and rehabilitation efforts in the wake of the widespread destruction wrought by super typhoon Odette. The CPP urged those not affected by the destruction, including overseas Filipinos and the international community, “to extend all possible resources to the millions who lost their homes and livelihood.”
Super typhoon Odette (Rai) hit the southern regions of the Philippines from 16 to 18 December. Millions of people in northern Mindanao, the Visayas islands and Palawan island suffered the devastation wrought by the super typhoon. The CPP said, “thousands upon thousands of homes, agricultural fields, fishing boats and other sources of livelihood were destroyed or severely damaged.”
The Party stressed that poverty-stricken Filipinos are the most grievously affected, especially the fishers, small peasants and farmworkers. “The destruction has worsened their grave socioeconomic conditions and will surely bring worse poverty and hunger.”
New People’s Army units in the affected areas were among the first to respond, helping with the repair and rebuilding of homes, repairing of agricultural fields and assisting villagers with production campaigns. Responding to the Party’s call, revolutionary organizations in both rural and urban areas have mobilized to receive donations from local and international aid agencies, and facilitate the transportation and distribution of relief goods to the disaster victims.
Meanwhile, CPP Chief Information Officer Marco Valbuena criticized the Duterte government on 29 December for its “terrible, measly and slow disaster response,” leaving Odette’s survivors in dire straits. “Close to two weeks after the typhoon,” Valbuena said, “millions continue to suffer from lack of clean water, food, electricity, communication services, food supplies, damaged or destroyed homes, and skyrocketing prices.”
He said the people are outraged at Duterte for bankrupting the government, leaving nothing for disaster response. “Worse, the presence of fascist troops in villages are a burden on the survivors… In Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, people are being compelled by the Philippine Army to help rebuild their detachments, in complete disregard of their sufferings and efforts to help themselves!”
The CPP called on Philippine revolutionary forces to organize and mobilize the masses in the affected areas “to collectively rise up from the disaster at the soonest possible time.” The Party said the peasant masses must also be assisted in “amplifying demands for reducing or suspending land rent and cancellation of debts, and for urgent subsidies to help them recover from their losses.”