Akbayan
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President | Machris Cabreros |
Chairman | Risa Hontiveros |
Secretary-General | Kit Melgar |
Founded | January 1998 |
Headquarters | 36-B Madasalin, Sikatuna Village, Quezon City |
Youth wing | Akbayan Youth |
Membership | 100,000 |
Ideology | Participatory politics Democratic socialism Social Democracy Liberal democracy |
Political position | Centre-left to left-wing |
National affiliation | Liberal Party |
International affiliation | Progressive Alliance |
Colors | Red, Green, and Purple |
Slogan | Sa Akbayan, Panalo ang Mamamayan! (With Akbayan, the People Win!) |
Seats in the Senate |
1 / 24
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Seats in the House of Representatives |
2 / 297
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Website | |
www |
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The Akbayan Citizens' Action Party is a democratic socialist political party in the Philippines. Its primary ideology is participatory democracy and participatory socialism.
Akbayan is also noted to be a leading member of the Democratic Left community in the Philippines. (leftist groups who are not affiliated with the Communist Party of the Philippines). It has been critical of abuses committed by some members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) against fellow activists. It has also been critical of the Communist Party of the Philippines – National Democratic Front – New People's Army's (CPP-NDF-NPA) atrocities in the countryside especially against peasant groups and communities against the Maoist group's extortion activities. Due to its stance against Rightwing extremism (from some elements of the AFP) and from the Extreme Left) (CPP-NPA-NDF), Akbayan has been a target by both political groups.
During the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Akbayan was among the opposition groups which was severely repressed by the government. It was also during this time that because of government intimidation that Akbayan suffered its lowest number of votes in 2007 with just well over 400,000 votes.
In 2009, Akbayan supported the presidential candidacy of then Senator Benigno Simeon Aquino III. Fueled by the popular discontent with the outgoing administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Aquino won the presidency by a huge margin. This was also the first time that Akbayan was able to breach the 1 million vote mark, its best performance so far. The votes it garnered was 200,000 votes more than the last time it secured three seats in the House of Representatives. However, it failed to secure three seats owing to a Supreme Court decision which ensured that only the leading partylist (Ako Bicol at that time) in the election would secure three seats.
Akbayan has been noted to oppose the increased incursions of the People's Republic of China (PRC) naval and coast guard vessels into Philippine territorial waters and within the country's 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Akbayan is only one of two parties (the other is Butil) to win seats in all party list elections in the Philippines. Furthermore, Akbayan is the only party to surpass the 2% election threshold in all elections.