LFS
Press Statement
June 10, 1998
The Filipino youth and students celebrate the centennial
of “independence” with clenched fists and cries
of defiance. For the struggle for national liberation and
genuine democracy that our forefathers have fought for
continues.
“Indeed, June 1998 is a time of celebration for both
an end and a beginning. An end because 100 years ago, the
Filipinos won the battle for independence from the
Spanish colonial rule. And a beginning, for it also
signalled the start of the political and economic
domination of the imperialist U.S. over the
country,” said Apolinario Alvarez, national
chairperson of the League of Filipino Students (LFS).
He assailed the Ramos government for deliberately
ignoring the historical fact that the US thwarted the
still fledgling Philippine Independence. Under the guise
of helping the Filipinos, the Americans plotted and
conspired with the local ruling elite to subjugate the
country to another, more powerful colonial master.
According to Alvarez, “Despite the glitz and glamour
of the governments centennial celebration, evidently, we
can see that the Philippines is not truly independent
from the dictates of the imperialist US. As a semi-colony
of the US, our political and economic policies are always
subject for the US’ approval through their
multilateral machineries such as the International
Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB) and World Trade
Organization (WTO).”
He called on to all the Filipino people, particularly to
the Filipino youth and students, to once again critical
study the history of the Filipinos. He urged them to look
beyond the extravagance of the Ramos’ celebration of
“independence” and see the true essence of the
Philippine centennial.
“The Filipino have proven to the world we value
freedom and democracy when we, through our own strength
and determination, toppled the Spanish colonial rule. But
the call for national liberation from US imperialism and
genuine democracy continues. Thus, the struggle remains
to be fought for,” he concluded.#
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