[UPDATE: Digital PADEPA has moved to a new address]

National democratic activists have brought their school to the worldwide web.

PADEPA, short for Pambansa Demokratikong Paaralan (National Democratic School) has gone online with Digital PADEPA, making its courses available to activists and activist organizations who have long wanted to have obtain reference and teaching materials for political and ideological study online.

From Stuff

Like a true school, PADEPA has a curriculum prescribed for all new activists to deepen their knowledge and appreciation of why and how to best contribute to the national democratic cause. The curriculum is divided into six categories:

1. Lipunan at rebolusyong Pilipino (Philippine Society and Revolution)
2. Pag-aaral sa Mga Mayor na Patakaran at Programa ng Rebolusyonaryong Kilusan (Studies of Major Policies and Programs of the Revolutionary Movement)
3. Pag-aaral sa mga Isyung Pangkasalukuyan (Studies on Contemporary Issues)
4. Pag-aaral sa Marxismo-Leninismo-Maoismo (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist Studies)
5. Pag-aaral sa Sari-saring Rebisyunista at Kontra-rebolusyonaryong Ideya at Paglilinaw sa mga Ito (Studies on Revisionist and Counterrevolutionary Ideas)
6. Pagpapalaganap ng Rebolusyonaryong Kultura (Spreading Revolutionary Culture)

Digital PADEPA uses Filipino or Tagalog in its entirety, revealing a bias towards workers and farmers, the urban and rural poor. It likewise includes a guide for training the school’s teachers and instructors, as well as suggested lesson plans and visual aids for several lessons. 

Perhaps the most interesting portions of the Digital PADEPA are those containing revolutionary songs and videos.  Seventeen (17) Philippine revolutionary songs are included and available for downloading. The ten videos were made by various cultural and multimedia groups.

Design-wise, Digital PADEPA may still be improved. National democrats should consider that the site is also open to non-activists who may turned off by the avalanche of text and the lack of a light-to-read introduction on what the site is all about. Perhaps, a video introduction would work best at the home page.  The home button too is easily lost in the avalanche because it is tagged as “Iskulhaws” — which is cute, but not really user-friendly. The multimedia sections may be collapsed altogether and embedded in the sections where the songs and videos are immediately relevant.   A separate site-map or download page may be used to serve those who just wish to do downloads. I am also certain that Digital PADEPA would soon provide texts, visuals, songs and videos in English and other Philippine languages and dialects.  It is public knowledge that national democrats have encouraged the production of propaganda and education materials in various languages to better reach and serve audiences nationwide and worldwide.

Overall, Digital PADEPA is one window to the Philippine revolutionary movement. It provides new activists, observers, researchers, political scientists and practically everyone (including military and police ‘intelligence’ agents and counter-insurgency experts) why a steady stream of Filipinos remain attracted to this movement that started in 1964 and which has survived a series of barbaric military operations,  the collapse of “socialist” states, and the breaking away of reformists.

What even its detractors cannot deny (except in an exercise of self-delusion) is that this movement knows where it came from, why it started, and why it is confident of national democratic victory and of a socialist future for the Philippines.

[Thanks to adarna’s attic for the heads up.]