Analysis of Philippine Macapagal-Arroyo administration's communist counterinsurgency strategy.

Abstract

This study is an analysis of Philippine President Arroyo's counterinsurgency strategy in ending the CPP-NPA-NDF by 2010 using Robert Thompson's five basic principles of counterinsurgency. Specifically, it focuses on the government's strategy of holistic approach in removing the root causes of insurgency and confronting the armed threat posed by the CPP-NPA. This research concludes that the government recognizes these principles but implementing them has been problematic due to the broader context of the insurgency. The government's strategy may achieve limited objectives that are predominantly military but policies that favor the poor and the marginalized have yet to be addressed. Massive poverty, poor governance, ineffective judicial system, and unequal access to electoral and political participation still persist and continue to fuel the armed struggle. Addressing the root causes of insurgency requires political solution and political will on the part of the government.