Anakbayan Toronto commemorates 10 years of forging youth activists to serve the people

Anakbayan Toronto commemorates 10 years of forging youth activists to serve the people

Anakbayan Toronto’s newly-elected Executive Committee. From left to right: Czarina, Hannah, Leanne, Jazz, Leandra, Francis. Not pictured: Thérèse.
3 Photos: David Estañol

Hannah, newly-elected chairperson of Anakbayan Toronto, delivers her first speech and shares her resolve to serve the Filipino community.

On November 26, 2022 Anakbayan Toronto hosted its General Assembly with the theme: 10 years of forging youth activists for the masses, studying resolutely, and struggling arduously. Bonifacio Day is Anakbayan’s founding anniversary and serves as a symbol of the continued struggle for genuine democracy and national freedom in the Philippines.

Anakbayan, founded in 1998 in the Philippines, is the largest and most comprehensive organization of Filipino youth. It unites Filipino youth from all walks of life for the cause of national freedom and genuine democracy in the Philippines. In 2012, Anakbayan Toronto was founded. It was the first chapter in Canada and inspired the formation of chapters in Ottawa, Montreal, Edmonton, Vancouver, and other cities. Anakbayan Toronto grew rapidly during the pandemic, resulting in the transformation of one of its committees into Anakbayan Scarborough, which launched in June 2022.

Mithi Esguerra, founding member of Anakbayan Toronto and migrant rights advocate, captured the organization’s work in her keynote speech: “In the past 10 years, ABTO has developed the ability to respond quickly to campaigns from the homefront and here – from staging lightning rallies in response to human rights violations, to gathering relief and material support for victims of natural disasters, to supporting anti-deportation or anti-labour trafficking campaigns for migrant workers, and many more. ABTO has been most active in propagating the National Democratic struggle, issuing statements, infographics and producing cultural work. You have been working in solidarity with other youth organizations of oppressed nations, and connecting our anti-imperialist struggles together.”

“We pledge unwavering support to the Filipino people’s struggle for national liberation.” Moe Alqasem of the Palestinian Youth Movement delivers a solidarity message.

A number of community organizations expressed their support for Anakbayan Toronto through solidarity messages. “We in the Palestinian liberation movement pledge our unwavering support to the Filipino people’s struggle for national freedom,” said Moe Alqasem of the Palestinian Youth Movement in his speech. The Canada-Philippines Solidarity Organization, The Philippine Reporter, Migrante Ontario, BAYAN Canada, and other organizations shared messages as well.

The growing number of Filipino youth migrants in Canada points to the importance of Anakbayan Toronto’s work. Filipino youth are continually forced to leave the Philippines due to the country’s dire economic, social and political conditions. The amount of Filipinos that face discrimination and exploitation in Canada (i.e. income and job inequality, racism, deprofessionalization, and precarious immigration status) also increases.

Many Filipinos hope to find better opportunities in Canada, but are still impacted by the conditions in the Philippines. The economic and socio-political crises are only worsening under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The cost of living rapidly increases while wages remain stagnant, political suppression is rampant, press freedom is threatened, and sovereignty is compromised as Marcos Jr. affirms unequal military and economic pacts with the United States.

Organizations like Anakbayan Toronto are necessary to carry on the struggle for genuine change in the Philippines and to advance the rights and welfare of Filipino youth overseas.

(PRESS RELEASE)

Collage of 10 years of Anakbayan activities

Part of attendees