Makabayan Coalition unveils progressive senatorial slate on National Heroes Day
“Sa wakas, may pagpipilian na tayo na hindi pwersa ng kadiliman o kasamaan. Taumbayan naman ang ipanalo.” These are the daring words of Makabayan Coalition when it officially unveiled 10 of its senatorial candidates for the 2025 midterm elections. In an unprecedented move, the national democratic movement of the Philippines is going against the decaying mainstream politics with a full senatorial slate consisting of leaders from basic sectors and genuine advocates with decades-spanning service on their track record.
Last week, on August 26, 2024, supporters gathered at Liwasang Bonifacio for Makabayan’s Grand Announcement. Held on National Heroes Day, the event celebrated the nation’s historic struggle for freedom and reminded us of the ongoing fight for justice and equality. The slate represents a broad array of progressive leaders from across the country who consistently champion the rights of the urban and rural working class, the landless peasantry, and other marginalized sectors.
The lineup is a people’s opposition against the equally corrupt and fascist Marcos and Duterte political dynasties, their opportunistic allies, and their self-serving, anti-people politics backed not just by elite compradors but by imperialist US and China. “Our candidates are not just leaders but are true advocates for the Filipino people, ready to push for policies that uplift the oppressed and marginalized sectors of our society,” Bayan Muna chairman and Makabayan co-chairperson Neri Colmenares said in a statement.
In his opening remarks for the program, Makabayan campaign manager Renato Reyes spoke of the hypocrisy of not giving ordinary Filipinos a chance to represent themselves in the Senate in a supposed democracy. “May karapatan ang mga karaniwang tao na marining ang mga boses nila. Ipinagmamalaki natin ang ating mga kandidato na may programa at plataporma: pambansang demokrasya. May alternatibo. May pagpipilian. Narito ang pagkakataong maglagay tayo ng taumbayan sa Senado!” he stated.
In a political landscape dominated by the greed of wealthy and well-connected families, the Makabayan slate offers not just an alternative but a long-needed approach to governance — one where ordinary citizens, representing the largest sectors of society, step forward to craft policies for and by the people. The coalition asserts that real change can only come from those who have lived the struggles of the sectors they seek to represent.
A Diverse Lineup of Grassroots Leaders
The Makabayan slate includes a wide range of voices, all of whom bring with them years of experience in organizing, advocacy, and service. These are leaders who have dedicated their lives to fighting alongside the masses for a more just society:
Mody Floranda, the national president of Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON), has long been at the forefront of the fight for transport workers’ rights. Arrested and tortured under the Marcos dictatorship, Floranda’s commitment to the cause has only deepened over the years. He now aims to end the PUV “modernization” program, which threatens the livelihoods of thousands of drivers and operators across the country. He seeks alternatives that benefit transport workers and other national industries, such as supporting the rehabilitation and local manufacture of jeepneys.
Jerome Adonis, the secretary general of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), is a labor leader who knows firsthand the struggles of working-class Filipinos. His early life was marked by low-wage jobs in construction and electronics, and he left school to help support his family. Today, Adonis is a vocal advocate for workers’ rights, fighting for economic justice by asserting a family living wage, an end to contractualization, and the right to unionize.
Danilo “Ka Daning” Ramos is a farmer from Bulacan and the chairperson of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP). His leadership in the fight for genuine agrarian reform is rooted in his lived experience and decades spent as a peasant organizer. He continues to be a fierce advocate for rural communities by asserting for free land distribution, national food security, an end to militarization in the countryside, as well as financial compensation and damages for farmers affected by government negligence.
Mimi Doringo of Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap (KADAMAY) represents the urban poor, bringing with her a personal understanding of the struggles of those most affected by state abandonment. As a survivor of Typhoon Ondoy and a mother of three, Doringo has fought tirelessly for affordable housing and an end to violent demolitions in poor communities. In addition, she has been a fierce voice advocating for lower prices of basic commodities and affordable, quality social services.
Ronnel Arambulo, a fisherfolk leader and vice chairperson of the Pambansang Lakas ng Mamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA), has spent years defending the rights of coastal communities. He opposes large-scale reclamation projects that threaten both the environment and the livelihoods of small-scale fishers, advocating instead for sustainable programs that prioritize the needs and welfare of people and fisherfolk, such as a genuine fisheries reform. Amidst recent U.S. and Chinese encroachments on the West Philippine Sea, Arambulo has also been a staunch voice defending Philippine sovereignty over our waters.
Jocelyn “Alyn” Andamo, a nurse with 40 years of experience, is the secretary-general of Filipino Nurses United and a member of the Health Alliance for Democracy. Her decades-long commitment to public health and her work in underserved communities underscore her dedication to accessible healthcare and fair wages for healthcare workers.
Congresswoman France Castro, a former public school teacher and representative of the ACT Teachers Party-list, has dedicated her life to improving the public education system. With 25 years of experience in the classroom and organizing teachers, Castro’s advocacy extends to fighting for better pay and working conditions for teachers across the nation. Her recent fearlessness in exposing Sara Duterte in Congress for her gross misuse of public funds is a testament to her dedication to defending public welfare.
Congresswoman Arlene Brosas, a representative of Gabriela Women’s Party, has been a staunch defender of women’s and children’s rights throughout her career. Her work as a teacher and a child care worker has shaped her understanding of the deep-rooted inequalities faced by urban poor communities and the policies she has crafted to uplift women and children.
Teddy Casiño, a veteran activist and the current chairperson of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN), was just in high school when he joined the EDSA uprising in February, 1986, and has since spent his life advocating for the poor and marginalized. His experience as a three-term congressman under Bayan Muna Party-list and a long-time organizer has made him a key figure in the fight for national industrialization and economic sovereignty.
Liza Maza, a former representative of Bayan Muna Party-list and Gabriela Women’s Party, is a leading voice for women’s rights who brings with her decades of experience as an activist. Her work on behalf of women and migrant workers has been a cornerstone of her advocacy, and she remains a powerful voice, empowering OFWs against long-standing issues such as illegal recruitment, human and sex trafficking, and unjust detention.
A Call for Genuine Change
For as long as the Senate has existed, it has been dictated by the interests of the compradors and imperialists, and not the people’s. Each of Makabayan Coalition’s 10 candidates stands as a challenge to this, carrying platforms that emerge from the struggles they have fought alongside the Filipino masses and their decades of lived experiences and grassroots service for their respective sectors, from farmers and the urban poor, to transport workers and OFWs, and more.
The Filipino people have endured far too much under a docile, inept and corrupt Senate filled with politicians regularly passing neoliberal policies that actively harm the everyday Filipino for their personal gains. We need leaders who genuinely understand and represent us: farmers who till the same land, workers who walk and commute through the same streets, and people who’ve lived under tyranny and fought against it. These are advocates who have stood with and organized the marginalized. They are ready to bring our calls on the streets and to the halls of the Senate.
True leadership comes from the people. These candidates are determined to fight relentlessly to bring the calls of the Filipino masses to the Senate. The time has long been overdue to break the stranglehold of elitist and despotic rule in the Senate and to elevate the true voices of the people to where they belong!
