1

1 Revolts of the Masses

Like most Asian countries, the Philippines came under Western Christian colonization for hundreds of years.

And yet, while the process of Spanish and American colonization affected all Filipinos due to economic and political impositions, that process affected the upper crust of Philippine society deeply and the broad masses of the peasantry only superficially in a cultural sense.

During almost four hundred years of Spanish domination, the Filipino, peasants rose in more than two; hundred revolts and rebellions. Under the American regime, the peasants again pressed for radical social changes often expressing their, determination with violent uprisings.

In the late nineteenth century, the revolution that led to the formation of the first Philippine Republic was initiated and originally led by a man who came from the lowest class of native society, the laborer --- Andres Bonifacio.

2

And the famed Hukbalahap revolt of the 1950s which almost toppled down the American-sponsored second Philippine Republic was initiated by peasants who wanted to reform the tenancy system. They were the same group who earlier proved to be the most organized guerilla resistance force against the Japanese invaders.

The Philippine peasant movements are a tenacious lot. Up to now they have not ceased pressing for reforms and activating themselves for genuine social revolution.