CPP claims 'beating' gov't pandemic response in countryside
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) claimed that it has served the masses in rural villages more effectively than the government when it comes to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic response.

CPP spokesperson Marco Valbuena said that the New People’s Army (NPA), its armed wing, has built village health committees, conducted information campaigns and tutorial classes for children, helped in planting and harvesting crops, and rebuilt homes and farms in disaster-hit areas.
“In rural villages, NPA beats Duterte / AFP in assisting people since pandemic,” Valbuena said in a statement Friday, Jan. 7.
The military has been actively involved in numerous efforts to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Soldiers were tasked to assist the Philippine National Police (PNP) in manning quarantine checkpoints and isolation facilities, while those with medical background were deployed in the frontlines to help in the national vaccination program.
Military and police personnel and vehicles were also instrumental in the delivery of various medical equipment, items, and personnel anywhere in the country in the past two years.
But Valbuena insisted that the masses only know the AFP and PNP as “fascists” and “thugs.”
Valbuena’s remarks came after President Duterte thanked the communist group for “not being an obstructionist” in the government’s pandemic response.
“You know, I’m directing myself to the Communist Party of the Philippines, at this time of our national life, we are having a serious problem. If you cannot cooperate, if you cannot help, then you maybe just stand aside and let the government... allow government to operate,” Duterte said in a Cabinet meeting aired on Thursday night.
He also encouraged communist rebels with medical knowledge to go down the mountains and participate in the pandemic response of the government. He vowed to compensate and feed them in the Malacanang Palace, and allow them to return to the mountains to continue their armed struggle once the pandemic is over.
Further, he warned NPAs not to extort money from the P5,000 financial assistance of the government to the victims of the recent typhoon “Odette” in Visayas and Mindanao.
“Napakaga** naman ninyo. That’s stupid. Eh tulong ‘yan sa kapwa tao. Maghingi lang kayo, maski P500 okay na ‘yan. Huwag niyong kunin lahat ng pera ng tao (You are assholes. That’s stupid. That’s aid for the people. Just ask for some, say P500, that’s okay. Do not get all of the people’s money),” Duterte said.