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Bagong Alyansang Makabayan

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(Redirected from BAYAN)
For the party-list coalition in the Philippine House of Representatives, see Makabayan.

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan
PresidentRenato Reyes
ChairmanTeddy Casiño
Secretary-GeneralRaymond Palatino
FounderLorenzo M. Tañada
Lean Alejandro
FoundedMay 1, 1985; 40 years ago (1985-05-01)
HeadquartersQuezon City
IdeologyNational democracy
Left-wing nationalism
Left-wing populism
Anti-Americanism
Indigenism
Anti-imperialism[1]
Political positionLeft-wing to far-left
International affiliationInternational League of Peoples' Struggle
ColorsRed
Seats in the Senate
0 / 24
Seats in the House of Representatives
3 / 316
Provincial governorships
0 / 80
Provincial vice governorships
0 / 80
Provincial board members
0 / 1,023
Website
bagongalyansangmakabayan.org
Members of Bayan USA march in New York in solidarity with Occupy Wall Street
Members of Bayan USA and GABRIELA USA protest against police violence in San Francisco

The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (lit. '"New Patriotic Alliance"') or Bayan (lit. '"Nation"') is an alliance of left-wing Philippine organizations. It was founded on International Workers' Day, May 1, 1985 as part of the opposition during the Marcos dictatorship.[2]

Politics

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Ideology

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The principle of Bayan is National Democracy. It believes that:[3][4]

  • The Philippines is rich in natural resources but, the Filipino people are deprived of those resources;
  • The history of the Philippines is the history of class struggle;
  • Imperialism, Feudalism and Bureaucratic Capitalism are the roots of poverty; and
  • A National-Democratic Revolution is the solution to ending the roots of poverty

However, unlike underground revolutionary organizations such as the Communist Party of the Philippines; its armed wing, the New People's Army and its united front, the National Democratic Front, members of Bayan do not take up arms. They participate in the urban mass movement through mass mobilizations.

Political structure

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Bayan operates as an alliance of different sectoral organizations.[5] It follows a democratic and central structure. Its own documentation[6] suggests that it is a centralized organization, including:[citation needed]

  • chapters as the smallest units
  • the general assembly as the highest policymaking body
  • the national council, which meets twice a year or more often if needed
  • the national executive committee to implement the policies of the general assembly and national council
  • five specialized commissions
  • the general secretariat that runs day-to-day operations
  • a national office in Quezon City in Metro Manila.

As an umbrella group of the National-Democratic Movement in the Philippines, BAYAN is associated with several organizations.

History

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Bayan was founded by Leandro "Lean" Alejandro, a leader of the League of Filipino Students, and former senator Lorenzo Tañada on May 1, 1985, during the Marcos dictatorship.[3] It brought together more than a thousand grassroots and progressive organizations, representing over a million people, and was largely national democratic.[7] From May 4 to 5, Bayan held its first congress at the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, with former senators Tañada and Jose W. Diokno elected as its first chairman and president respectively.[8] Two weeks after the first congress, however, newly elected National Council members Butz Aquino and Teofisto Guingona Jr. left the group, while Diokno would also resign as president some months later, with the three being reportedly uneasy about the growing influence of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its National Democratic Front (NDF) in the alliance.[9]

In early 1986, Bayan called for a boycott of the snap presidential election, reasoning that it was merely being used by president Ferdinand Marcos' administration to perpetuate its power over the country.[10] As a result of its boycott, however, the group grew politically isolated, and although it was involved in the People Power Revolution against the Marcos dictatorship in the weeks after the election, Bayan admitted in its second congress that the boycott muted its chance to "meaningfully participate in the February uprising".[11] Nonetheless, the new political environment after the revolution enabled the creation of the now defunct Partido ng Bayan (People's Party) that participated in the 1987 elections.

On September 19, 1987, Alejandro was assassinated by unknown gunmen in front of Bayan headquarters in Quezon City.[12] Numerous members of Congress such as Nikki Coseteng and Edcel Lagman strongly condemned the assassination, with Speaker pro tempore Antonio Cuenco denouncing the attack and asking authorities to immediately solve the crime.[13] Since 1998, Bayan Muna, the political party of the organization, has been the leading party-list member in the House of Representatives of the Philippines.[14]

On August 7, 2002, the secretary-general of Bayan, Teodoro A. Casiño, claimed that under the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo presidency, soldiers murdered at least 13 Bayan and Bayan Muna members.[15][16][17]

In a resolution passed during the Bayan 7th Congress in August 2004, the coalition would expand to include overseas Filipino organizations as official members of Bayan. In January 2005, the first Bayan USA assembly was held in San Francisco. As the first overseas Bayan chapter, Bayan USA directly coordinated the implementation of Bayan campaigns with Bayan member organizations in the United States. These organizations include the NY Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines, the League of Filipino Students in San Francisco State University, Anakbayan (New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, San Diego, Honolulu, East Bay, Portland, and Seattle), the Critical Filipino/Filipina Studies Collective, Habi Ng Kalinangan, babaeSF (San Francisco), Pinay Sa Seattle, and Filipinas for Rights and Empowerment (FiRE).[citation needed]

On February 25, 2006, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo managed to evade arrest in Quezon City after leaving a press conference held by minority members of the House of Representatives at the Sulô Hotel in response to President Arroyo's state of emergency declaration.[18] Two days later, police authorities issued an arrest warrant for Ocampo and 50 other left-leaning figures with charges of rebellion.[18]

After the 2007 elections, and the death of Anakpawis representative Crispin Beltran, Bayan had five combined representatives in the 14th Congress of the Philippines: Ocampo and Casiño of Bayan Muna, Rafael V. Mariano of Anakpawis, and Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of GABRIELA.[19][failed verification]

In the 2010 elections, Bayan had seven congressmen in the lower house, including Raymond Palatino, Neri Colmenares, and Luzviminda Iligan.[citation needed]

Newly-elected officers of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan, 2023.

During the 2013 Philippine Elections, all party lists except for Aking Bikolnon ran for sectoral representatives. Kalikasan and Courage were disqualified, while Kabataan and Piston faced charges of disqualification that were subsequently lifted. Bayan Muna and GABRIELA won two seats each; with Neri Colmenares and Carlos Zarate for Bayan Muna and Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmi de Jesus for Gabriela. Meanwhile, ACT, Anakpawis and Kabataan won 1 seat each; with Antonio Tinio, Fernando "Ka Pando" Hicap and Terry Ridon as their respective representatives. [citation needed]

Makabayan and Bayan also fielded former Bayan Muna representative Teodoro "Teddy" Casiño, who has served for 9 years as one of the congressmen of the said partylist. He placed 22nd out of 35, garnering about 3.5 million votes.[citation needed]

List of chairpersons, secretary generals and presidents

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Chairperson

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Secretary general

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President

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Salamat, Marya (November 15, 2017). "Amid ASEAN 2017, progressives hold int'l confab against neoliberalism, militarism". Bulatlat. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
  2. ^ "Bayan.ph". Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Teehankee, Julio. "Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF). quezon.ph. Retrieved December 6, 2010.
  4. ^ Dreisbach, Jeconiah Louis. "Performing politics: dissent of the mass movement against neoliberal policies in the Philippines." Idealogy Journal 4.1 (2019): 1-7.
  5. ^ Mercaida, Enrique G. “The Role of People’s Organizations In Philippine Political Development.” Philippine Journal of Public Administration, vol. XXX, no. 2, Apr. 1986
  6. ^ "BAYAN home page". Archived from the original on October 27, 2009. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  7. ^ Weekley, Kathleen (1996). "From Vanguard to Rearguard: The Theoretical Roots of the Crisis in the Communist Party of the Philippines". In Abinales, Patricio (ed.). The revolution falters: the left in Philippine politics after 1986. Ithaca, New York: Cornell Southeast Asia Program. p. 47. ISBN 0-87727-132-1. Retrieved June 11, 2010.
  8. ^ "Officers elected". Business Day. May 7, 1985. p. 12. Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Daily Report Asia & Pacific. A total of 826 of 1,209 delegates from all over the country voted for former Sen. Lorenzo Tanada as chairman and former Senator Jose Diokno as president.
  9. ^ Southeast Asian Affairs 1986. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. 1986. p. 228. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  10. ^ Scalice, Joseph [@josephscalice] (February 5, 2023). "When Marcos called for a snap election, Bayan believed that a majority of the population would be disgusted and not participate" (Tweet). Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Twitter.
  11. ^ Scalice, Joseph [@josephscalice] (February 5, 2023). "Here is Bayan's own assessment" (Tweet). Retrieved May 17, 2025 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ Jacinto, Gerry (September 21, 1987). "NPA vows to avenge Lean slay". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. p. 1. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  13. ^ Ocampo, Sonora R. (September 22, 1987). "Solons tell people: Work for 'national liberation'". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. p. 7. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  14. ^ Bayan History Archived September 23, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Codewan.com Archived July 13, 2003, at the Wayback Machine
  16. ^ "Manila Standard". Retrieved June 5, 2019.
  17. ^ "inq7.net". Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  18. ^ a b GMANews.TV (February 27, 2006). "Satur Ocampo 'escorted' to Batasan by House leaders". GMA News Online. GMA Network Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
  19. ^ "inq7.net". Retrieved December 26, 2014.
  20. ^ Jacinto, Gerry (September 27, 1987). "Army told to stay away from funeral". Manila Standard. Standard Publications, Inc. p. 2. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  21. ^ Nacpil-Alejandro, Lidy (May 29, 1992). "Tribute to Ka Tanny". Manila Standard. Kamahalan Publishing, Inc. p. 9. Retrieved March 21, 2025. Until 1987, when perhaps his sorrow over Lean's death and his increasing physical weakness prevented him from being as active as before, choosing to serve instead as Honorary Chairperson For Life.
  22. ^ Lacuarta, Gerald G.; Javellana, Juliet L.; Pablo, Carlito (January 18, 2002). "GMA talks with former Edsa allies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A16. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  23. ^ Zamora, Fe (September 9, 2005). "How La Salle president united opposition". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A6. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
  24. ^ Espada, Dennis (November 23, 2014). "Activists share brief recollections on Kabataang Makabayan". Bulatlat. Alipato Media Center, Inc. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
  25. ^ Manansala, Aida (January–February 1986). "Polarization in Philippine Politics". The Diliman Review. University of the Philippines Diliman: University of the Philippines College of Arts and Sciences. p. 3. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  26. ^ Bordadora, Norman (March 22, 2005). "Militants slam TV ad spots on VAT hike". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A6. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  27. ^ Navallo, Mike (November 10, 2023). "'Part of freedom of speech:' Nato Reyes, BAYAN artist refute QC police's burning of effigy complaint". ABS-CBN News. Manila: ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved March 17, 2025.
  28. ^ Sison, Jose Maria (February 26, 2006). "Edsa I and the left". Philippine Daily Inquirer. The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc. p. A16. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
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