Profiles

Abstract

The history and development of the revolutionary struggle in the Philippines has, to a considerable extent, centred on a number of personalities: simple peasants, intellectuals, heroes of the republic, folk heroes, legendary figures, political hopefuls and NPA fighters. Historically, as shown in Chapter 2, men like Rizal, del Pilar, Bonifacio and Aguinaldo pointed a new direction for the Philippines at the turn of the century. Others carried forward their ideas — albeit in different forms — into the 1930s, when new national figures emerged to provide ideological, organisational and military frameworks for the poorly articulated expressions of discontent among the mass of the people, reinforced under the 20-year Marcos dictatorship. For a brief interval, the vision of Aquino tempered the determination of the mass of the people for radical change through violence and demonstration. A political solution seemed possible. The vision was short-lived, and since the latter part of 1986, the open conflict between the right and the left has become more apparent than ever. Key figures have remained in the struggle for more than 20 years; some continue to press home their beliefs; some have been assassinated; many died almost anonymously; others, through death, have contributed more than during their lifetime; and, in constant danger, all have sought to bring about the social and political changes which they perceived as the solution to the poverty and oppression of the Filipino people.