Akbayan

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Akbayan Citizens 'Action Party ( Akbayan is a portmanteau from Aksyon Sambayanan , Filipino for "Citizens' Action") is a left-wing party in the Philippines .

Risa Hontiveros, party leader of the Akbayan

Foundation and history

Akbayan was formed in 1997 from the amalgamation of four left-wing political organizations: BISIG (" Alliance for the Advancement of Socialist Thought and Action"), Pandayan ("Forge of the Philippine Socialists"), MPD (Movement for People's Democracy) and Siglaya ("Century of Liberation "). All four emerged from the EDSA revolution against Ferdinand Marcos ' dictatorship in 1986. Up until then they had mainly been active on the grassroots level, but now saw the need to get involved in party politics, which in their view was dominated too much by the social elite and so-called “traditional politicians” (“Trapos” for short). Members of the democratic network AR Now also joined Akbayan after failing to register for their own election in 1998.

The party works closely with various citizens' initiatives and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in particular those grouped together in the PARRDS (Partnership for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development Services). Its leadership consists mainly of intellectuals, but its target group are workers and farmers.

In October 2000 she joined dozens of other groups from different political directions in the protest movement KOMPIL II (Congress of the Filipino People), which called for the resignation or impeachment of President Joseph "Erap" Estrada .

Election results and parliamentary work

Walden Bello, Member of the House of Representatives (2007-15)

Akbayan has little chance of winning direct seats in the constituencies (which determine the vast majority of seats in parliament), but regularly competes for the few seats awarded to party lists. The party won one in 1998, two in 2001 and three in 2004 in the House of Representatives. In the latter election, she achieved her best result to date with 6.7% of those for list votes. Despite the weak numerical representation of the party in parliament, Akbayan MP Etta Rosales was elected chairman of the political, civil and human rights committee. In this position, she worked on the drafting of 20 bills that were passed by the House of Representatives. Rosales had to resign from parliament in 2007 due to the three-term limitation, since then the Akbayan's results have leveled off at 3% of the party list votes and two seats in the House of Representatives. Akbayan MP Walden Bello gained some attention in 2010 when he denounced the corruption of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in a parliamentary speech.

The party's Senate candidate, Ana Theresia “Risa” Hontiveros , won over 9 million votes in 2010 - supported by the Alliance of Liberals - and thus came in 13th place, so she just missed one of the twelve seats awarded in this election. In 2013 she was able to increase her number of votes to over 10 million - nominated by Allianz Team PNoy , to which Akbayan belonged - but failed to make it into the House of Lords in 17th place. In the 2016 Senate election (according to preliminary results) she was able to enter this Chamber of Parliament with over 15 million votes as eighth place.

The party focuses more on the local level than on national politics. In many Barangay (lowest administrative unit, corresponds roughly to a village or district) it is strongly represented, in some it even provides the mayor.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Jennifer C. Franco: The Philippines. Fractious Civil Society and Competing Visions of Democracy. In: Civil Society and Political Change in Asia. Expanding and Contracting Democratic Space. Stanford University Press, Stanford (CA) 2004, p. 116.
  2. ^ A b Lynn T. White III: Philippine Politics. Possibilities and problems in a localist democracy. Routledge, Abingdon (Oxon) / New York 2015, p. 142.
  3. ^ A b Franco: The Philippines. 2004, p. 120.
  4. ^ Franco: The Philippines. 2004, p. 123.
  5. ^ Roland Rich: Parties and Parliaments in Southeast Asia. Non-partisan chambers in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. Routledge, Abingdon (Oxon) / New York 2013, pp. 62, 68, 69.
  6. ^ White: Philippine Politics. 2015, pp. 148–149.
  7. ^ Rich: Parties and Parliaments in Southeast Asia. 2013, p. 80.
  8. ↑ a b White: Philippine Politics. 2015, p. 149.
  9. ↑ http://ph.rappler.com/elections/2016/results

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