Daily Tribune (Philippines)

Reds’ recruitmen­t via Spotify ‘very alarming’

- BY LADE JEAN KABAGANI

Several anti-communist groups and former rebels found it “very alarming” that the recruitmen­t of the Communist Party of the Philippine­s-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) and its front organizati­ons have already expanded to using digital music, podcast, and video services of Spotify.

Lorraine Badoy, former National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF ELCAC) spokespers­on for sectoral concerns, warned Filipino parents to always keep an eye on their children.

“This is not an exaggerati­on. Many of our children have died because of these evil organizati­ons,” Badoy said, referring to progressiv­e groups Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students, Karapatan, National Union of Peoples’ Lawyers and IBON Foundation, as well as partylist groups Kabataan, Act Teachers and Gabriela, among others.

Badoy emphasized these groups won’t stop until “they turn all the youths into communist members and sympathize­rs.”

“They have a strong online presence so even if your child is inside your house, it seems they are also talking with these devils,” she said.

“So, make an extra effort to keep an eye and educate yourselves and your kids. Your ignorance is their power over you,” she added.

Badoy emphasized these groups won’t stop until ‘they turn all the youths into communist members and sympathize­rs.’

To keep in the loop, Badoy urged parents to watch the daily online show “Laban Kasama ang Bayan” (Fight with the Nation) streaming live via ntfelcac.org.

Badoy, who is a staunch advocate against CPP-NPA terrorism, said she will always be relentless in fighting for the complete annihilati­on of the communist armed struggle in the country.

“Yes, nothing can stop me from doing my part in destroying the CPP-NPA-NDF so that they can no longer hurt us. Nothing. This has always been more than a job to me. This is a moral obligation,” she said.

To date, the course on Maikling Kurso sa Lipunan at Rebolusyon­g Pilipino (MKLRP) is being played on Spotify as an educationa­l podcast under the “History” category. The first chapter of the audiobook has become available to the public on 22 October last year, while the latest episode was aired on Wednesday this week.

This, after the National Telecommun­ications Commission blocked the CPP-NPA websites.

Other communist related audiobooks include Rakenrol: Salaysayan sa Araling Pilipino with 26 episodes, and the Araling Aktibista (The Activist Study), popularly known as ARAK, a “required course for activist” in the Filipino revolution­ary movements.

 ?? PHOTOGRAPH BY LORENZ DALIT FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE ?? THERE is a belief that infants should be exposed to early morning sun for their health, as these moms in Tondo, Manila are doing.
PHOTOGRAPH BY LORENZ DALIT FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE THERE is a belief that infants should be exposed to early morning sun for their health, as these moms in Tondo, Manila are doing.

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