Makabayan thanks all its supporters and campaigners for the 2025 elections. Amid sustained and coordinated attacks by state forces, relentless red-tagging and repression and a campaign of disinformation, we were able to reach out to millions and present an alternative vision for the Philippines. No other political party today had to endure the attacks that Makabayan and its partylist groups faced. The regime sought to wipe out Makabayan in the electoral arena but it failed.
We congratulate our partylists ACT Teachers and Kabataan and await the final results of the electoral bid of Gabriela. We condemn the systematic attacks on Bayan Muna and hold the Comelec and the Marcos regime responsible for failing to stop the efforts to undermine the electoral process. The attacks on progressive partylist groups persisted because of the inaction of Comelec and because of the support of the Marcos regime.
We congratulate Kiko Pangilinan and Bam Aquino for returning to the senate, as well as human rights lawyers Leila de Lima and Chel Diokno as incoming House members and impeachment prosecutors. May they stand with the people in the fight for accountability of the past and present regimes.
The conduct and results of the elections affirm our view that elections under the current system favor the rich and powerful and exclude the exploited and oppressed classes, particularly representatives of the Marcos and Duterte factions. The partylist system in particular has been overrun by representatives of the rich and powerful, thus further marginalizing the already marginalized. Attempts to challenge the status quo are met with the most vicious acts of state terror. Despite the limitations of the current reactionary elections, we fought with courage and determination and achieved significant victories that will resound even beyond the narrow electoral arena.
We remain critical of the automated elections as questions on software integrity and the manner of transmission as well as errors on the so-called transparency server, all point to the lack of credibility and reliability of the election results.
Despite the tremendous obstacles we were able to campaign for the senate race even without significant resources and media machinery. We were able to promote the agenda of workers, peasants, fisherfolk, indigenous peoples, women, youth, urban poor, OFWs, government employees and professionals. We were able to prove that even in a contest dominated by political dynasties, progressive voices can hold their own and gain support of millions. We continue to plant the seeds of nationalist and democratic politics, and of a genuine people’s opposition. The effects will be felt in the years to come. We are ever hopeful that the mass movement will continue to move forward even after the elections.
During the campaign period, we highlighted the people’s aspirations for national sovereignty, genuine land reform and national industrialization. We campaigned for P1,200 living wage, lower prices of basic commodities and services, for prioritization of education, health, decent housing and social services, for the protection of the environment, for equality and non-discrimination, for an accessible mass transportation system, for justice for victims of extrajudicial killings, militarization and other human rights violations. We advocated against political dynasties, corruption of public funds, and destructive impacts of neoliberal policies and foreign big business on the local economy. We marched with the people to demand the impeachment of Sara Duterte and the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte. We denounced the current administration for its anti-people people policies and its subservience to US and other foreign interests.
Time and again we have maintained that real change must go beyond the elite-dominated electoral exercise. We trust in the people as they continue to seek fundamental change that goes beyond the regular changing of the ruling classes who wield power. We will remain steadfast in this fight. There is the impeachment case, the ICC case, the economic and human rights crisis and the intensifying political crisis. We can and must persist in collective struggle.
#Makabayan2025
