Every #throwbackthursday or #flashbackfriday, I reminisce on my time spent in the Philippines this past summer on an Exposure Trip with Anakbayan. It was a time that I miss, that I’ll never forget, and has shaped who I am today. This is me and a fellow youth community organizer in San Roque, Manila, Philippines - an Urban Poor area whose homes are facing demolition threats by the government in order to pave the ground for malls, shopping centers and other commercial buildings. Thousands of people would lose their homes, their livelihood - so they are organizing their communities to take a stand against the demolition threats, to take a stand against unjust actions for the sake of profit, to take a stand against the blatant imperialism that threatens their lives. We walked around the community, asking for permission from the Nanays and Tatays if we could post on the wall of their homes, many of which were constructed with cement, scrap wood and scrap metals. Using homemade wheatpaste, a walis (broom) and newsprinted posters, we promoted the upcoming People’s State of the Nation Address rally while we learning about the issues this community faced and the beautiful action they were taking to claim their homes, their land, their lives. The graffiti on the wall reads: “Makibaka para sa Pambansang Demokrasya”, which means “Struggle for National Democracy”. And struggling they are.

Every #throwbackthursday or #flashbackfriday, I reminisce on my time spent in the Philippines this past summer on an Exposure Trip with Anakbayan. It was a time that I miss, that I’ll never forget, and has shaped who I am today.

This is me and a fellow youth community organizer in San Roque, Manila, Philippines - an Urban Poor area whose homes are facing demolition threats by the government in order to pave the ground for malls, shopping centers and other commercial buildings.

Thousands of people would lose their homes, their livelihood - so they are organizing their communities to take a stand against the demolition threats, to take a stand against unjust actions for the sake of profit, to take a stand against the blatant imperialism that threatens their lives.

We walked around the community, asking for permission from the Nanays and Tatays if we could post on the wall of their homes, many of which were constructed with cement, scrap wood and scrap metals. Using homemade wheatpaste, a walis (broom) and newsprinted posters, we promoted the upcoming People’s State of the Nation Address rally while we learning about the issues this community faced and the beautiful action they were taking to claim their homes, their land, their lives.

The graffiti on the wall reads: “Makibaka para sa Pambansang Demokrasya”, which means “Struggle for National Democracy”. And struggling they are.

  1. Camera: Nikon D90
  2. Aperture: f/4
  3. Exposure: 1/4000th
  4. Focal Length: 50mm
  1. Date Posted Icon 25th February 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 21
    3. Tags Icon #flashbackfriday#anakbayan#national democracy#community#organizing#exposure trip#expo2011

Youth and Student Movement in the Philippines

This video was filmed during an exposure trip of July 2011 in the Philippines and featured at the report back multi-media show “Halong” in November 2011. 

An exposure trip is a program designed to expose people to the harsh realities and true living conditions experienced by the people of the Philippines through educational discussions, integrations, mass actions and community organizing.

We had the opportunity to learn about the youth and student conditions in the Philippines and the movement of young people demanding basic human rights for their future. We were able to integrate with various youth and student organizations including Anakbayan chapters at the Univeristy of the Philippines Diliman and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, other youth groups, alliances and fraternities including out-of-school and working youth, as well as youth community-organizing outside of their sector in the womens movement, workers movement, cultural movement, etcetera.

To learn more about Anakbayan Seattle, the Filipino youth and student movement, and the National Democratic struggle in the Philippines, please visit anakbayan.net or email anakbayan.seattle@gmail.com.

Filmed by: Nicole Ramirez
Edited by: Janelle Quibuyen

  1. Date Posted Icon 4th January 2012
  2. Notes Icon Notes: 57
    3. Tags Icon #youth#students#filipino#philippines#anakbayan#anakbayan seattle#exposure trip#national democratic#activism#agitate#organize#mobilize