On September 28, over 3,000 supporters and members of the Makabayan Coalition and its affiliated parties nearly filled the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila for the coalition’s national convention. During this event, Makabayan formally announced its platform, senatorial candidates, and nominees for the party-list elections.

Ka Paeng Mariano, a peasant leader and one of the coalition’s chairpersons, gave the opening statement. In his speech, he emphasized that the Makabayan campaign for the 2025 elections will revolve around advocating for national democracy to provide immediate relief for the people and defend the country’s sovereignty.

Makabayan chapters and members nationwide are committed to this effort, recognizing the reality that elections are dominated by political dynasties and traditional politicians representing the interests of oligarchs, landlords, and foreign plunderers.

He stated that it is time for ordinary citizens to be elected to the Senate and Congress. Consequently, their campaign will revolve around the call “People in the Senate.”

The coalition will field 11 senatorial candidates and four progressive party-lists representing women, teachers, youth, and other democratic sectors.

The senatorial candidates include:

1. Teacher France Castro, ACT Teachers Partylist representative
2. Arlene Brosas, Gabriela Women’s Party representative
3. Jerome Adonis, KMU general secretary
4. Liza Maza, Makabayan co-chairperson
5. Ronnel Arambulo, Pamalakaya vice chairperson
6. Teddy Casiño, Bayan chairperson
7. Danilo Ramos (Ka Daning), KMP chairperson
8. Nurse Jocelyn Andamo, Filipino Nurses United general secretary
9. Mody Floranda, Piston chairperson
10. Mimi Doringo, Kadamay general secretary (National Alliance of Urban Poor)
11. Amirah Lidasan, a Moro leader from Sandugo-Movement of Moro and Indigenous Peoples for Self-Determination

At the convention, senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan shared a message of solidarity.

The coalition also announced nominees running under the party-list system. Atty. Neri Colmenares leads the Bayan Muna Party-list; former representative Sarah Elago is the number one nominee for Gabriela Women’s Party; Antonio Tinio for ACT Teachers Party-list; and Atty. Rene Co for Kabataan Party-list.

The convention was formally concluded by Ka Satur Ocampo, one of the pillars of the coalition and its president emeritus, along with Rep. Raoul Manuel, one of the newly elected chairpersons of Makabayan.

Rep. Manuel noted that the coalition faces a challenging fight due to National Task Force-Elcac’s campaigns against candidates advocating for people’s demands and opposing prominent names and dynasties linked to Marcos and Duterte.

“Do we back down from battles just because they are difficult?” he asked convention attendees. He stated that the people, including children and grandchildren, should remain unaccustomed to corrupt politics.

Ka Satur underscored the importance of holding onto the call “Dare to struggle, dare to win!” to face the challenges posed by the 2025 elections. He stressed the value of unifying voices from experienced activists and youth representatives like Rep. Manuel.

Makabayan will field nearly a full slate in the Senate for the first time since its founding on April 16, 2009. It will also field candidates for local positions in barangays and municipalities.

“In the 2025 election—and beyond—when economic crises intensify while political dynasties clash more fiercely, we will not back down. If we need to run for more positions from local to national—from barangay and SK to vice president and president—we will prepare for that,” Rep. Manuel stated.

As Ka Paeng stated, “Our campaign will not end with gathering votes for our Senators and party-lists; it is a broad movement and mass campaign that will promote the national-democratic aspirations of the toiling masses beyond election season.”