Kabataan Partylist

PHOTOS AND TEXT BY KATHERINE P. TOLARBA AND GLOREI ALLELU N. LINDIO
Bulatlat

Wearing self-made clothes that portray different issues during elections, Kabataan Party-List members ramped on stage along Araneta Avenue, Tatalon, Quezon City.

The April 24 fashion show featured different election-related issues that hound the May 2007 elections and the youth’s tasks to ensure clean and honest elections.

“It is a colorful, creative, entertaining youthful kind of campaigning at the same time educational,” said Raymond Palatino, the youth party-list group’s first nominee.

Kabataan Party-List is the only accredited progressive youth party-list group participating in the 2007 elections.

With its new brand of politics — politics of hope, struggle and change — Kabataan Party-List seeks to usher in new blood into Philippine politics, away from the kind of leadership that the traditional politicians and dynasties have for the government.

“We need a change,” Palatino said. “The nation needs young, vibrant and innovative minds that will restore integrity and morality in governance and lead the nation to genuine progress and social change.”

The Kabataan Party-List fashion show portrayed the political repression in the country. Bulatlat

Partylist tales
by Raymond Palatino
http://mongpalatino.motime.com

Campaign materials made by young farmers in Hacienda Luisita for Kabataan Partylist

Our most important endorser

Friends have been asking how we got young showbiz stars to endorse Kabataan Partylist. I’m sorry; it’s a trade secret, hehe.

But celebrities are not our most important endorsers. They add to the appeal of our group, they increase our winning chances, but we rely on the strength of our membership in order to win in the elections.

Let me mention the founding organizations of Kabataan Partylist:

National Union of Students. The most prestigious student group in the country. Period. (hehe)

College Editors Guild. The oldest and largest existing student group in the country.

Anakbayan. The most indomitable youth group in the country. They are so persuasive that I agreed to marry one of its officers. (hehe)

LFS. Student rallies are still associated with LFS. That’s the legacy of LFS in the student movement.

Student Christian Movement. An ecumenical youth group with extensive membership.

Karatula. Young artists who composes most of the campaign songs of Kabataan Partylist.

We are overjoyed with the endorsement of some many youth groups, SK officials, bloggers, young professionals, students and even those who are no longer young. Thank you po for supporting Kabataan Partylist.

But I would like to give special mention to the support of young farmers of Hacienda Luisita for our partylist. For me, it is the most cherished endorsement in this elections.

While attending an assembly in Tarlac a few days ago, some teens approached me and introduced themselves as farmers from hacienda Luisita. They brought campaign streamers made from carton. They assured me of their support for Kabataan Partylist. Then, someone from their group asked me a question which I will never forget: Ipaglalaban mo ba kami kapag nanalo ka?

It was a simple but very important question. It made me realize that partylist groups exist to promote the welfare of our people, which include the struggling farmers of Hacienda Luisita. Kabataan Partylist exists to empower the oppressed, give hope to the dispossessed and fight for the rights of the poor.

We are proud of the endorsement given by Angel Locsin, Dennis Trillo, Ciara Sotto, Marvin Agustin, Tuesday Vargas, among others. We are also proud to announce that the brave young farmers of Hacienda Luisita are on our side.

(more…)

Pictures and more here.

A photo of this event landed in the Regions page of the Philippine Daily Inquirer today.

Members of Kabataan Partylist, College Editors Guild of the Philippines and National Union of Students of the Philippines held a gathering of young civil libertarians and press freedom and human rights advocates at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City. Guest speakers were Inquirer publisher Isagani Yambot and Antonio Ocampo, son of detained partylist representative Satur Ocampo.

Left to right: Kabataan Partylist president and first nominee Raymond Palatino, Antonio Ocampo and Isagani Yambot

DEFY Political Repression!
DEFY Tyranny!
STAND FOR DEMOCRACY!

Photo taken from gmanews.tv

(more…)

April 16, 2007
6 PM
Treehouse Restaurant, Matalino St., QC

Slam AFP ‘summons’ to student activists, parents

Members of Kabataan Party-list today stormed the headquarters of the Civic Military Operations (CMO) Battallion in Fort Bonifacio to protest military harassment against student activists and their families and the continued presence government troops in Metro Manila communities and schools. (more…)

Youth commemorates death anniversary of slain student leader

Youth and students led by the League of Filipino Students and KABATAAN Partylist will be holding a noise barrage and candle lighting ceremony on Monday to commemorate the first death anniversary of Cris Hugo.

A National Council member of the LFS, Cris was gunned down by an unidentified assailant while walking home with his professor in Albay last March 19, 2006. His death was a precedent to more youth victims of extrajudicial-killings in the Bicol region namely Rei Mon “Ambo” Guran and Farly Alcantara II, both from the LFS.

excerpts from Mong’s Losing the Student Vote

During the past weeks, the military visited some campuses in Metro Manila to educate (read: indoctrinate) students of its anti-insurgency campaign. Soldiers warned students not to join progressive youth organizations which were described as ‘communist fronts’. They accused these groups of being ‘anti-family, anti-God, anti-society and anti-government’. Few students will dare to stand up and question the false claims of the military. How could there be an open and candid discussion of ideas if armed soldiers are roaming the campus?

These ‘peacekeeping missions’ of the military are unnecessary, illegal and dangerous. These create a chilling effect in campuses. The military aims to frighten students who are contemplating of joining groups which are critical of government policies. Students will remember how armed soldiers visited the campus and identified the groups which are ‘enemies of the state’.

We cannot ignore the message the military wants to convey: Members of progressive youth organizations are already legitimate targets of the military since they are ‘communist fronts’. Is this the reason why leftist youth leaders are harassed, abducted and killed in different parts of the country?

School officials should explain why they allowed armed soldiers to enter the campus and intimidate the students. The Commission on Higher Education should not endorse the lecture series sponsored by the military.

These are not ordinary times. The military is accused of abetting human rights violations. Both the Melo Commission and Alston Report identified the culpability of the military in the high number of extrajudicial killings in the country. Instead of instituting measures to restore public trust, the military continues to be insensitive and arrogant by deploying soldiers in depressed communities and campuses.

Our message to the military hierarchy is simple: Send your soldiers to the barracks now! Use the Lenten Season as an occasion to reflect on the sufferings you have inflicted on our people.

NOTE:
These pictures were taken last March 5, 2007 in the Philippine Normal University (PNU) main campus in Manila. Photos courtesy of Rene of Manila Times.

Related post: Youth Partylist to COMELEC: Probe military election campaigning, deployment in schools

Abangan ang pagdating ng Kabataan Roadtrip sa inyong mga lugar!

Mga kuha habang pinipintahan ng mga miyembro ng Kabataan Partylist ang bus na magsisilbing mobile/rolling campaign center ng ating partido.

Maraming salamat kina Papi Reggie, Lire, Sarah, Joe at Dianne.

Introducing Isko, KABATAAN Partylist’s official mascot