Mutually beneficial moments occur in the parallel evolution of Philippine nationalism and the Left. These have taken place notably in the political, economic, and cultural domains. Yet Marxist ideology stands in the way of a fuller entente, and in the end, nationalism remains as the more applicable—because easier—doctrine. EDSA and the Contemplacion case illustrate the various uses of nationalism, with consequences which - depending on the context - are either good or bad for the Left.