1952
Graduated from the Cabugao, Ilocos Sur Elementary School as valedictorian.
1956
Graduated from the San Juan de Letran High School as a gold medalist.
1958
1959
Graduated from the University of the Philippines with the degree of Bachelor of Arts with honors (cum laude).
Teaching Fellow and granted a scholarship to take his masteral in creative writing by the U.P. English Department from 1959 to 1961.
President, UP Journalism Club, 1958-59.
1961
Literary editor of the UP Philippine Collegian in 1961 and became nationally recognized as a patriotic and progressive poet upon the publication of his first book of poetry, Brothers, in the same year.
1962
Member, UP Writers’ Club, 1962
University Public Relations Officer, Araneta University; and Executive Secretary to Dr. Salvador Araneta as Araneta University President and as Chairman of the Board in several corporations.
Accepted a scholarship grant to study Indonesian language literature in 1962.
Joined the Workers’ Party (Lapiang Manggagawa) in 1962 as head of its Research and Education Department
Joined the old Communist Party of the Philippines in 1962 and was appointed to its Central Executive Committee as a representative of the youth.
1963
He founded and became editor-in-chief of Progressive Review, a political, economic, social, and cultural periodical from 1963 to 1968. He was also a Philippine correspondent of the London-based Eastern World and the Hong Kong-based Eastern Horizon. During this period, he became a member of the National Press Club and a professorial lecturer on political science in the nearby Lyceum of the Philippines.
1964
Professorial Lecturer in English, Political Science and other Social Sciences, Lyceum of the Philippines, 1964-67.
He was elected general secretary of the Workers’ Party (Lapiang Manggagawa) in 1964.
Director for Education, National Association of Trade Unions, 1964-68.
Consultant, Malayang Samahang Magsasaka (Free Association of Peasants), 1964-68.
General Secretary, Socialist Party of the Philippines, 1964-65
He became the national chairman of the Kabataang Makabayan from its founding in 1964 until 1968. As such, he issued public statements and led the mass protests of the youth and workers against the semicolonial and semifeudal ruling system and the increasingly brutal and corrupt Marcos regime. He became one of the three most frequently published personalities in Philippine media alongside Marcos and Benigno Aquino, Jr.
1965
National Vice-President, Socialist Party of the Philippines, 1965-68.
Member, National Press Club, 1965-68.
From 1965 onward, he led the First Great Rectification Movement within the old CP. This laid the ground for the 1968 reestablishment of the CPP under the theoretical guidance of Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism and along the general line of new democratic revolution through protracted people’s war.
From 1965 onward, he led the First Great Rectification Movement within the old CP. This laid the ground for the 1968 reestablishment of the CPP under the theoretical guidance of Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism and along the general line of new democratic revolution through protracted people’s war.
1966
He organized, in 1966, the united front organization Movement for the Advancement of Nationalism and was elected its general secretary at its founding.
Member, Afro-Asian Journalists’ Association, 1966.
Member, Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau, 1966.
1968
He was engaged in theoretical and practical work as Founding Chairman of the CPP from 1968 until his capture by the Marcos military in 1977.
1969
Adviser, Pagkakaisa ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (Unity of Peasants in the Philippines), 1969-71.
He became founding chairman of the reestablished CPP and, three months thereafter, formed the New People’s Army in 1969, together with the good remnants of the old People’s Army in Central Luzon.
Editor-in-chief, Ang Bayan (The People), 1969-77.
1970
He directed the formation of the Preparatory Commission of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines in 1970.
1977
He was illegally detained for more than 8 years until the fall of Marcos in 1986 and was released on March 5, 1986, by the Cory Aquino regime because the fascist usurpers of power headed by Marcos subjected him to so many violations of human and constitutional rights, such as severe physical and psychological torture, the use of military commissions against civilians and multiple charges for the same political offense of rebellion in violation of the right against double jeopardy of punishment.
The Marcos fascist regime failed to convict him because he filed a series of habeas corpus petitions to the Supreme Court, which countered the invalid judicial authority of the two Marcos military commissions trying him simultaneously for “subversion” and “rebellion” in violation of his constitutional right against double jeopardy. Soon after his release, all his legal documents as a Filipino national, including his Philippine passport, were restored so he could attend the Singapore seminar of prominent Southeast Asian and Filipino political leaders on the Philippines and prospects.
1985
Literary Achievement Award for poetry and essay writing from the Writers’ Union of the Philippines, 1985.
National Book Award for Poetry (Prison and Beyond), Manila Critics Circle, 1985.
1986
Because the fascist dictator Marcos had been flown out of the Philippines by his US protector in 1986, the victims and survivors of human rights violations under his rule found recourse in filing charges against him and his criminal accomplices in the US judicial system. Sison joined the human rights litigation against him. He benefited from the legal assistance provided by the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and Human Rights Watch. He won his case against Marcos in 1995 and ultimately received his compensation for moral and material damages through a board of the Philippine government.
He chaired the Preparatory Commission to establish the Partido ng Bayan (People’s Party) but declined to accept the party chairmanship. He encouraged the most resolute and militant leaders of the mass organizations of workers, peasants, women, youth, and professionals to occupy the party’s leading positions. In various years of his stay abroad, he was given awards of recognition and appreciation by all major mass organizations of the national democratic movement in the Philippines.
He rejoined the research and teaching faculty of the University of the Philippines as a Teaching Fellow at the graduate school of the Asian Center with the rank of associate professor in political science.
Chairman, Executive Council, Philippine Center for Social Research, 1986-87.
He won the Southeast Asian WRITE Award, the highest literary award in the region, for his socially concerned poetry and essays and especially for his book of poetry Prison and Beyond which reflects his torture and his struggle for freedom. He received the award from the Thai royal family in October 1986.
Previously, he had awards from his Filipino literary peers in the Writers’ Union of the Philippines and the Manila Critics Circle after his release from maximum security detention by the Marcos fascist regime.
Recognized as one of outstanding 200 Marxist theoreticians and revolutionary leaders since 1848 in Biographical Dictionary of Marxism, edited by Robert A. Gorman, London: Mansell Publishing Limited, 1986.
1987
After finishing his teaching and research duties during the first academic semester of 1986, he accepted the invitations of universities, the Filipino community, and solidarity organizations in the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America to lecture on the Philippines and related issues.
Occasional guest lecturer on Philippine politics, economy and culture in Utrecht University and other European universities, 1987-2022.
1988
While on his international speaking tour, the Corazon Aquino regime resented his critique of the unjust Philippine ruling system and its pro-imperialist and reactionary policies. In September 1988, they canceled his Philippine passport and renewed the charge of subversion against him in violation of his right against double jeopardy. Thus, he was compelled to apply for political asylum in the Netherlands in October 1988.
The highest administrative court in the Netherlands, Raad van State, rejected the decision of the Ministry of Justice denying him the status of political refugee and refusing him admission as a refugee under Article 1-F of the Geneva Convention. The Raad van State made a clear judgment that he was under the absolute protection of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the principle of nonrefoulement under the Refugee Convention. The jurisprudence established in the Soering case was also cited in his support. Thus, he has been able to stay in the Netherlands since 1988.
Political refugee in the Netherlands, 1988. Recognized as such by the Dutch Council of State under Article 1 A of the UN Convention on Refugees and further protected by Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
1989
Chairman, Board of Directors, Stichting International Network for Philippine Studies (INPS), l989-2022
Subjected to continuing persecution and assassination attempts by the Manila government. A prize of one million pesos on his head since 1989. Adjusted to eleven million pesos by joint order of the Philippine Department of Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government since April 23, 2009.
1990
Chief Political Consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in peace negotiations with the Manila government, 1990-2022.
1992
In the meantime, the charge of subversion by the Aquino regime was dismissed in 1992 by the Manila Court of First Instance. The Manila prosecution office also dismissed as factually baseless and sheer speculation the false charge of multiple murders against him in the bombing of the Liberal Party rally in 1971. This was a false flag operation of Marcos and military minions to lay the ground for the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus in 1971 and proclaim martial law in 1972.
1993
Subjected to continuing persecution and assassination attempts by the Manila government. A prize of one million pesos on his head since 1989. Adjusted to eleven million pesos by joint order of the Philippine Department of Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government since April 23, 2009.
Convenor and Chair, International Seminar in Commemoration of Mao’s Centennial, Gelsenkirchen, Germany, 1993.
General Editor, Mao Zedong Lives: Essays in Commemoration of Mao’s Centennial, 1993-94.
Member, Wereldschrijvers Werkgroep, Netherlands 1993
1994
Special award of recognition for outstanding contribution, as selfless and humane leader, patient teacher, caring and compassionate friend and exemplary comrade to the national democratic struggle of the peasants, workers and the entire Filipino people., 26 November 1994: Kabataang Makabayan 30th Year (1964-1994).
Member, Vereniging van Letterkundigen-Vakbond van Schrijvers (Association of Literary Arts – Union of Writers), Netherlands 1994.
1998
Marcelo H. del Pilar Award bestowed by the College Editors Guild of the Philippines as the highest accolade to its most distinguished alumni for their continued service and commitment in upholding and defending the people’s rights and welfare. Given to Jose Maria Sison, poet, writer, revolutionary leader, during the 29th Biennial National Student Press Congress and 56th Annual National Convention, 21-26 May 1998.
2000
Chairman, International Initiative Committee, International League for Peoples’ Struggle, 2000-2001.
2001
General Consultant, International League for Peoples’ Struggle, 2001-2004.
2002
Worse vilification for Sison came from the Arroyo regime despite the ongoing GRP-NDFP peace negotiations in which he was engaged as chief political consultant of the NDFP. The regime treacherously lobbied the US, the Dutch, and the European Commission to designate the CPP, NPA, and Sison as “terrorists” in 2002 and fed the Dutch government with a fabricated charge of multiple murders against Sison in 2007.
Listed in the European Union “terrorist” blacklist in 2002 and removed from the list by landmark decision of the European Court of Justice in 2009 in his case against the Council of the European Union.
2004
Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee, International League of Peoples’ Struggle, 2004-2020
2009
Awards of Recognition of 50 years of service to the Filipino people from the Communist Party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front of the Philippines, Kilusang Mayo Uno, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, Migrante International and other organizations on February 7, 2009, eve of the 70th birthday of Prof. Jose Maria Sison.
2017
Arrested and detained by Dutch authorities on false charges provided by the Arroyo regime in 2007 and released after winning his case before the The Hague District Court and the Appeal Court also in 2007.
He overcame all the false charges and won all the major cases against him before the courts of the Netherlands and the European Court of Justice. The Duterte regime would make the the worst and most absurd charges against Sison through political psywar from 2017 to 2022. But these charges were never presented before any court with valid jurisdiction over him. Thus, he has continued to stay in The Netherlands.
While abroad, he has consistently advocated the struggle of the Filipino people for national and social liberation and has supported the anti-imperialist and democratic struggle of the people of the world. He has participated in international academic, social, and political organizations, seminars, and conferences. He is highly regarded as an authority in the theory and practice of Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism, a public intellectual and social activist.
He was a long-time Chairperson of the Center for Social Studies and the International Network for Philippine Studies from late 1980s onward. He was Chairperson of the International Conference of Marxist-Leninist and Organizations from 1992 to 1994, presided over the International Seminar on Mao Zedong Thought and co-edited the book Mao Zedong Thought Lives! He served five terms as Chairperson of the International Coordinating Committee of the International League of Peoples’ Struggle from 2004 to 2019. He is now the Chairperson Emeritus.
He has chaired major international conferences of anti-imperialist and democratic formations. He delivered substantial lectures and speeches to academic, trade union, community and solidarity audiences on Philippine and global issues. And he has published so many articles and books that assure him a place of honor in contemporary times and in history as a major public figure, a progressive book author, scholar and activist in the service of the people.
