For the Masses and the Marginalized: The Party-lists and Organizations that Carry Our Voices
The May 2022 elections are nearing, and many have finalized decisions on their presidential, vice presidential, and even senatorial bets, but have you already decided on which party-list to vote for?
With over a hundred party-lists to choose from, many could be left confused and undecided. In this feature, Scientia presents party-lists who represent marginalized sectors in the Philippines, their track record, objectives, and agendas, which are worth considering in the coming days leading up to the elections.
Kabataan: Youth at the Center of Societal Reform
The youth are our country’s hope, for they are the ones who witness the strife in the present and are given the opportunity to end it for the good of those in the future.
The Youth Stepping Up
Social injustice, inequality, and systemic corruption are still very much prevalent in the Philippines. A mixture of extremely conservative ideals, monetary and economic gain, and increasingly authoritarian leadership have left the minority who hold power and their supporters little reason to change the status quo.
As such, it is important for the masses to speak up and voice out their own interests. One of the most important sectors that do is the youth. As the ones entrusted with the country’s future, it is imperative for the youth’s voices to be heard in society. However, the youth have traditionally been marginalized, their struggles and interests often falling on the deaf ears of the old elite entrenched into positions of power in both the government and the institution.
With this, it is becoming a rallying cry for the youth to unite in the name of social change and equity. At the forefront of this movement in the Philippines is the Kabataan Party-list, the country’s only youth sectoral party in Philippine Congress.
As the representatives of the interests of over 30 million Filipino youth, Kabataan aims to be an outlet for the youth in a government currently dominated by the old elite and political dynasties. It also commits itself to encouraging the youth to step up and devote themselves to “building a new society devoid of corruption, inequality, and social injustice.”
Kabataan lays out its nine-point agenda which summarizes the matters Kabataan prioritizes. They are as follows:
Environmental Preservation — Kabataan is committed to crafting strong legislation aimed at protecting the environment and putting a stop to the continued exploitation of the Philippines’ natural resources by foreign companies and big businesses as part of its stance on urging the rehabilitation and preservation of our country’s environment, natural resources, and biodiversity.
Good Governance and Youth Empowerment — As one of many multi-sectoral groups standing together to hold the government accountable for its people, Kabataan is committed to ensuring that the people are given a greater, more democratic space to participate in the conduct of national affairs and unbridled access to government information by establishing and enacting a Freedom of Information Law. Kabataan also recognizes the importance of youth empowerment and the role the youth plays in national development.
Better Internet — Kabataan pledges its support towards the improvement of telecommunications technology and free and better Internet access throughout the country, recognizing how important information and communications are in national development and facilitating the unrestricted flow of information and allowing the people to fully enjoy the right to freedom of speech and expression.
Genuine Agrarian Reform — Kabataan pledges to support efforts towards the development and modernization of the agricultural sector of the Philippines that would benefit the farmers, tillers, and laborers employed in the industry. Kabataan also condemns any and all harassment and violence against agricultural workers and activists and beneficiaries who are working towards the implementation of agrarian reform.
Improvement of Healthcare and All Social Services — Kabataan advocates for the provision of greater state funding towards social services such as healthcare, decent housing, access to potable water, land, public transportation, and electricity instead of their privatization and commercialization as it is convinced that all Filipinos from every sector in society is entitled to such social services.
Free Public Education at All Levels — Kabataan supports the call for the reconstruction of the Philippines’ education system into one that is nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented and the call for free public education institutions at all levels in the fight for free, quality, and accessible education for all students.
Just and Lasting Peace — Kabataan urges the youth to stand with those who call for just and lasting peace, supports actions aimed at resuming peace talks between the national government and internal conflict groups and releasing political prisoners whose imprisonment has become a main barrier in peace negotiations, seeks justice for all those who put forth and fight for genuine social change, and condemns attacks aimed at dismantling our social and democratic rights.
Decent Jobs for the Youth and the People — Kabataan is in solidarity with the youth and all those who call for an end to policies detrimental to the labor sector such as contractualization, trade union harassment, and the labor export policy. It is also one with the labor sector in their mission to push the institution of a Php 16,000 monthly national minimum wage.
Upholding National and Economic Sovereignty — Kabataan pledges its support to the cause upholding the Philippines’ national sovereignty amidst current and potential international strife, and is convinced that to be patriotic, one must serve their people and their interests and not bow down to any foreign power or their orders and wishes.
At the Forefront: Kabataan’s Leaders
With their big role and crucial agenda, Kabataan party-list is led by fairly exceptional and ardent leaders, Rep. Sarah Elago and first nominee Raoul Manuel.
Elago is currently in her second term, having been the party-list’s representative since 2016. She authored 697 bills and co-authored 25. She won the One Young World Politician of the Year award along with four others around the world at the One Young World 2021 Summit in Munich, Germany, July 22 to 25.
The award recognized “five of the world’s most outstanding politicians between the ages of 18–35, who are using their positions to have a positive impact on young people in their communities and countries.”
She was also one of the seven lawmakers at the House who are not millionaires, with the lowest net worth of only P85,400 according to their 2018 Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
Kabataan party-list’s current first nominee and national president Raoul Manuel has had his fair share of leadership experience. He was elected as the UP student regent for the academic year 2016–2017 while he was taking up a Master’s degree in Applied Math in UP Diliman. He stood for free education and the resumption of peace talks among other campaigns during his term.
He also served as the chairperson of Katipunan ng Sangguniang Mag-aaral sa UP, a system-wide student council alliance in UP Visayas and the student council chair of the College of Arts and Sciences as an undergraduate. He graduated as UP Visayas’ first summa cum laude.
Becoming a Rallying Point for the Youth
As a progressive party-list that aims to usher in societal reform and equity for all Filipinos and whose members and supporters are often critical of the authoritative and elite-favoring stances of current and past governments, Kabataan has been subject to several cases of red tagging and harassment. These cases came to a head during the current administration, with the party-list among several progressive groups and coalitions subject to threats and accusations by people and institutions within an increasingly authoritarian government.
However, Kabataan and its members remain strong amidst all the opposition, with its having filed an intent to join the 2022 party-list elections seen as an act of defiance against police, military and government groups aiming to disqualify left-leaning progressive groups from the polls.
Kabataan has endured harassment and threats to make due on its duties to represent the Filipino youth in government, and has consolidated itself as a rallying point for the youth to voice out their concerns and wishes.
It is up to these youth to decide whether to maintain the toxic cycles that have plagued our society for many years, or to stand with and support Kabataan in its mission to ensure a more equitable and better future for Filipinos from all sectors of society.
#95Kabataan
Bayan Muna: Amplifying the voices of the Filipino
Bayan Muna party-list, whose name literally translates to “nation first,” has always been an organization forwarding issues and concerns, such as national sovereignty, genuine land reform, and national industrialization to name a few. These concerns amplify the plight of the majority of Filipinos — the working class and peasants, whose voices are the most important.
In the 2022 elections, Bayan Muna vows to remain the leading party-list and secure three seats in congress, “despite the attacks, vilification campaign and the challenges posed by the pandemic.”
Their objectives
Bayan Muna asserts 10 objectives, guided by their “shared commitments and principles.” They stand firm that their objectives are a product of their consciousness of the lessons of our history and their acknowledgement of what requires building “a truly sovereign and democratic present and future.”
(1) To establish a democratic, nationalist and popular government by empowering the people, ensuring their representation and participation in all levels of government decision-making.
(2) To assert national sovereignty and independence and protect the national patrimony from foreign domination and control.
(3) To promote a self-reliant and sustainable socio-economic development through the integrated programs of genuine land reform, national industrialization and protection of the environment.
(4) To uphold and protect the people’s basic human rights and freedoms and ensure justice for all victims of human rights violations.
(5) To improve the social and economic welfare of workers, peasants and other marginalized sectors by providing a comprehensive and progressive program in basic social services and livelihood.
(6) To promote a national culture that is progressive, patriotic, scientific and popular and develop research and development in science and technology.
(7) To guarantee the right to self-determination of the Bangsa Moro, Cordillera and other indigenous peoples and ensure their participation in all matters that directly affect them.
(8) To remove all forms of gender oppression and discrimination against women and promote their full involvement in national affairs and other fields of endeavor.
(9) To advance a national comprehensive policy on peace negotiations to address decisively the root causes of the prolonged armed conflict that has historically beset our country.
(10) To foster a just policy of international relations that is independent, peace-oriented and mutually beneficial to our integrity, security and prosperity as a nation.
Their leaders
Bayan Muna has no shortage of prominent leaders which include former representatives Teodoro “Teddy” Casiño and Neri Colmenares.
Casiño is their first nominee and has been the party-list’s representative for three terms from 2004 to 2013. He was the former president of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines, and the current Bagong Alyansang Makabayan spokesperson, and its former secretary general.
Casiño called himself “the voice of the ordinary man,” when he ran for senator in 2013. He presented his track record of immersing with the masses as a former Bayan Muna representative. He noted that no other candidate or politician is forwarding the issues of the ordinary people in the senate.
He believes that a senator should be heavily involved in the struggles of the ordinary to be able to do this. “Bilang aktibista, yan naman kasi yung naging orientation ko ever since (As an activist, that has been my orientation since),” he said in a profile interview.
He also pointed out that Filipinos are starting to acknowledge “na hindi pwedeng palagi na lang mga elitista at mga makapangyarihang tao ang nasa puwesto (we cannot allow that the people in power are always the elitists).” Though he lived a relatively comfortable life, he said that he had the “conscious choice na makisalamuha, at makasama sa mamamayan sa masa, sa kanilang pakikibaka (conscious choice to mingle and to be with the masses in their struggle).”
With Colmenares, Bayan Muna consistently pushed for genuine agrarian reform in the Philippines through pushing for the Genuine Agrarian Reform Bill (GARB) as an alternative to the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program Extension with Reforms (CARPER) law. GARB aims to freely distribute all agricultural lands to landless farmers, unlike CARPER.
“[For me], genuine agrarian reform is not merely a social justice tool. It is also a development tool. In my opinion, no country can develop without genuine agrarian reform,” Colmenares said in 2016 as a senatorial aspirant.
Colmenares is also well-known for filing the bill in 2013 mandating telecommunications companies to send free mobile disaster alerts during calamities. This was enacted into law in 2014.
Also related to telecommunications, Bayan Muna with Colmenares rejected in 2012 an International Monetary Fund proposal to impose excise taxes on telecommunications services that would increase messaging and data costs for consumers.
Colmenares said that the tax would only burden the people and would “bleed the people dry of their hard-earned money just so that their client states can pay up and earn a seal of good housekeeping.”
Aside from genuine agrarian reform and public utilities, Bayan Muna and Colmenares championed environmental protection and conservation, national industrialization, genuine scientific development, and nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented culture.
In the 2019 elections, Colmenares and Bayan Muna gained the endorsement of science organization AGHAM (Advocates of Science and Technology for the People).
Colmenares as a representative “has consistently championed the interests of the Filipino people and the progressive politics of grassroots-centered change amid a well-entrenched political system dominated by representatives of the country’s elites of landlords and big businessmen,” AGHAM said in a statement.
Further, they believe that Bayan Muna and Colmenares upheld issues and concerns that are aligned with their advocacies — ”security and self sufficiency, the protection of the environment, public utilities, national industrialization, and a national scientific and mass-oriented culture.”
Bayan Muna currently has three seats in Congress with representatives Carlos Isagani Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, and Eufemia Cullamat.
Zarate now in his third term principally authored 737 bills and co-authored 46. In 2018, he was among the 10 poorest members of the congress according to their Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth.
In their term, Bayan Muna called out different issues such as Marcos Jr. ‘s estate tax evasion, Masungi Georeserve resorts, Philippine SIM Card Registration Act, and the window hour scheme for bus operators, which is from 10 pm to 5 am, to name a few.
“The window-hour scheme imposed on provincial bus operators has greatly caused undue hassle and burden to thousands of commuters relying on public transport,” they said in the resolution.
Their allies, now and then
In the coming 2022 elections, Bayan Muna endorsed its former representative Neri Colmenares as senator. The umbrella Makabayan bloc which Bayan Muna is under, endorses Vice President Leni Robredo and Senator Kiko Pangilinan for president and vice president respectively. This signals their budding cooperation with members of the Liberal Party.
In the 2016 elections, Makabayan endorsed Grace Poe and Chiz Escudero as president and vice president. In 2010, it was their first time to endorse presidential and vice presidential bets where they showed support for Manuel Villar and Loren Legarda, citing their talks on economic liberalization, agrarian reform, human rights, graft and corruption, and renegotiation of the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement.
In a 2013 profile interview, then Bayan Muna Rep. Casiño said, “Bagamat sila’y definitely galing sa hanay ng mga elitista, hindi yun lang ang usapin. Meron tayong mga pinagsasamahang mga isyu at adbokasiya… Ang isang tao ay hindi lang naman isang bagay ang tinitingnan natin. Tinitingnan din natin ang pangkabuuan.”
#141BayanMuna
YACAP: Challenging Leaders in the Climate Crisis
“The climate crisis is here.”
According to environmental conservation organization Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP), the climate crisis exists and Filipinos are directly experiencing its effects.
Progressively stronger and more frequent typhoons are the most familiar climate crisis effects to Filipinos. In 2021, typhoons Quinta, Rolly, and Ulysses, all equally damaging, ravaged through many parts of the Philippines in just 15 days.
And so, this coming elections, climate justice is one of the things Filipino voters should look out for.
The organization
YACAP, the counterpart of Fridays for Future in the Philippines, is “a nationwide alliance of youth organizations, individuals, and student councils that advocates for immediate global climate action led by the youth.”
You would typically see them lining the streets to mobilize, campaigning for system change to address the climate crisis. Members would participate in Global Climate Strikes, release infographics on climate change, and speak in different events tackling the climate crisis.
However, you would also see them mobilize to protest or recognize other issues such as the Marcos-Duterte tandem in 2022, New Bataan 5, and the Terror Law. We witness here how the organization recognizes their significant role in the country, and how related science is with Philippine society.
The Youth Climate Agenda 2022
The backwards governance in the Philippines leads to the suffering and stunted state of science and technology in the country, which in turn affects the well-being of the entire society — the environment among many aspects.
And so, they crafted their five-point Youth Climate Agenda 2022 challenging the candidates this election, which revolves around their main call for “system change, not climate change.” The full agenda can be found on their website YACAP.org.
Push for people- and planet-centered adaptation!
In adaptation to calamities, leaders should put the people and planet at the center. Filipinos should not be forced to relocate from their homes prone to disaster. Instead, adaptation should focus on disaster prevention and mitigation. This includes resilience to climate impacts such as loss of communication, electricity, and water.
Also, it includes scientifically-appropriate protection and restoration of mangrove, seagrass, coral reef, and watershed ecosystems. These species prevent storm surges, floods, and other effects of the climate crisis.
There should be increased public investment as well in local research and technology to adapt to the climate crisis across interdisciplinary fields.
All these should be enacted through policies that would overall aim for better prevention, preparation, and response to the effects of climate change.
Pursue more ambitious mitigation pathways!
A stricter moratorium on coal should be implemented and all ongoing coal mining exploration. Operations in the country should be suspended as well.
Also, the well-being of the Filipino people, especially the marginalized should be prioritized in our National Determined Contributions.
Moving towards renewable energy, a clear transition pathway should be developed with yearly milestone targets to fully move away from oil and gas. Rights of people affected, particularly the small fisherfolk, should be respected in the transition.
In terms of single-use plastics, a nationwide ban should be imposed. Major local polluting corporations such as multinational corporations (MNCs) should be held accountable.
Champion climate justice locally and globally!
Leaders should join and head the international demand for the immediate achievement of the developed countries’ or the Global North’s USD 100B per year pledge to the Global South, the developing countries.
They should also join global efforts in the transition away from coal and other fossil fuels towards more renewable energy like solar, wind, and wave energy. Laws should be enacted as well that penalize local corporations and MNCs for destroying nature and disrespecting human rights.
Defend our environment defenders!
Rights of our land and environment defenders should be respected. Defenders include small farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous peoples. Measures to ensure that they are protected from unnecessary harassment and harm should be implemented.
This can be done through enactment of policies that defend their rights. Enacted policies are recognition of the ongoing attacks they are experiencing from state forces through baseless red tagging and terror tagging. Junking the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 and abolishing the National Task Force to End local Communist Armed Conflict is a start.
Empower the youth and the Filipino people!
Climate change education in elementary and high school curricula should be updated fast. Emphasis should be put on climate justice and collective action in these curricula, as well as disaster prevention and preparation, disposal and waste management, and the students’ relation to climate change.
Education initiatives with frontline climate change-impacted communities should continue and expand to provide adequate and timely support for grassroots-initiated climate adaptation projects.
Citizen and community dialogues, sector-wide consultation, and freedom of information among other measures should be upheld to maintain a transparent process in climate justice efforts in the country. These should also be research- and science-based.
Implementation of climate and environmental policies should be stricter through appointment of competent individuals. Appointed officials should have appropriate credentials for the oversight of these policies.
Lastly, there should be just recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes recognizing that the pandemic and the climate crisis are interconnected and that both should be urgently addressed.
Agham Youth: Science for the People
For years, the science and technology (S&T) sector of the Philippines has lagged behind other sectors and remained underdeveloped. While significant breakthroughs and developments have been achieved throughout the years, a combination of neglect, underutilization, and better job offers abroad have prevented the sector from reaching its full potential in serving the Filipino people.
As members of the youth, it is our duty to call for the continued development and advocacy of science and technology for the masses. This is the rallying point of Agham Youth.
Science and Society are Interconnected
Established in 1999, Agham Youth is a student organization that advocates for the development and utilization of S&T in service for the masses. It recognizes that the sciences are important for the betterment of society and the upholding of democracy, and that the Philippines’ youth scientists have an integral role to play in this development.
Agham Youth also believes that this development must be carried out with a nationalistic, scientific, and mass-oriented (NSMO) culture in mind, aiming to fully bring together a sense of nationalism within youth scientists amidst a desire and duty to serve the masses.
The NSMO Culture Electoral Agenda
Agham Youth has laid out its electoral agenda in seven points that embody service to society while upholding the NSMO culture.
Provide greater support to the education sector! Address the problems of the educational setup! — Agham Youth lays down the details of its agenda to address concerns regarding the education system, which include an increase in budget allocation for better educational facilities and Internet coverage and increased administrative manpower, measures towards support of face-to-face classes, increased coverage and accessibility with regards to educational scholarships, and monetary-related improvements in faculty pay and disaster budget support, among others.
Support the healthcare sector! Make healthcare more accessible! — Agham Youth calls for the creation of a scientific, mass-oriented pandemic response, an increase in allocated budget towards public health support and benefits for health workers and medical professionals, a science and evidence-based and community-consulted approach to healthcare policy-making, and to repeal the current Universal Healthcare Law in favor of a genuine and accessible universal healthcare policy oriented towards the masses.
Increase support towards STEM and STEM workers! — Agham Youth calls for the allocation of at least 1% of the Philippines’ GDP towards research and development, an increase in coverage of the free education law to include higher education, support for STEM workers, the creation of a roadmap towards national industrialization, and resistance towards privatization, 100% foreign ownership of key industries, and Anti-Poor Jeepney Modernization.
Increase accessibility of public utilities! — Agham Youth stands against the privatization and foreign ownership of important public services. It also calls for measures to ensure greater accessibility of public utilities, increase internet coverage, and create an efficient and environmentally-friendly public transportation system oriented towards the Filipino people.
Implement genuine agrarian reform! Invest in attaining food security and self-sufficiency! — Agham Youth calls for measures to resist and/or repeal policies disadvantageous towards agricultural workers, implement genuine agrarian reform, and allocate greater support towards agriculture through technologies and other means.
Invest in genuine environmental rehabilitation and preservation! Implement mass-oriented climate action! — Agham Youth calls for an end to profit-motivated projects which degrade the Philippines’ natural resources and ecosystems and to instead invest in scientific rehabilitation of key areas, build genuine disaster resilience. It also supports measures which aim to reduce carbon emissions, provide funding to support the retrofitting of facilities able to withstand natural weather events, redirect funding and efforts towards the protection and rehabilitation of our natural resources, prevent foreign exploitation of our natural resources and our people’s livelihoods, invest in renewable energy, and increase support for scientists conducting climate and environmental crisis studies.
Abolish NTF-ELCAC! Investigate the issues of red-tagging and EJKs of activists and environmental defenders! — Agham Youth calls for funds to be redirected towards community services, the investigation and resolution of issues involving red-tagging, EJKs, and illegal detention of activists and environmental defenders, the junking of the 2020 Anti-Terrorism Law, and the resumption of peace talks and the ensuring of the implementation of NSMO cultured-science.
#AghamYouth
