Bloodstained Barriers

Political participation among Filipino youth has been particularly tough during the last five years, up until President Rodrigo Duterte’s final year in power. The recent abduction and abuse of student activist Alicia Lucena, exemplifies the grim reality of youthled movements in the Philippines. Cases like this, however, are not uncommon. Despite the historic involvement of Filipino youth in informal forms of political participation, these efforts, all the same, are often met with not-soinvisible barriers within the system.

The Political participation of the Filipino youth has played a historic role in reshaping the Philippine politics and democracy. It is worth noting that youth movements formed a collective action that fought for civil rights back in the glory of the infamous Martial Law under former president Ferdinand Marcos’ term. Now, as if history repeats itself, the freedom of speech is yet again demonized.

For a nation that is led by a strongman who despises criticism, muffled voices are sadly prevalent.

Under Duterte’s regime, almost every civic participation, protest, dissent, or opinion opposing government policies are susceptible to subjective defamation or red-tagging. With that being said, youth groups and activists are often the target of propaganda networks and even government task forces.

Student activist Alicia Lucena, who revealed that she had been abducted and abused by her own family— that has been used by the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) to vilify youth activists, for nearly four months is just one of many individuals who had been falsely accused and stigmatized under Duterte’s term. Prior to Lucena, Ana Patricia Non— the student behind the renowned community pantry concept, had also been red-tagged and profiled by the NTF-ELCAC along with other community pantries across the country.

Over the course of 2020 and up to July 2021, there had been numerous complaints against NTF- ELCAC’s malicious claims and misleading information. In response to this, several lawmakers passed resolutions— such as House Bill No. 9437, to criminalize red-tagging. However, the task force remains on its place untouched.

Perhaps the most ironic aspect of it all is that these stigmas are being led by a government task force. It is not to say that there are no reds— the communists and terrorists do exist. However, the process of profiling and publicizing of government task forces such as NTF- ELCAC is as flawed as it can be. Given the fact that the accusations they publicize are lacking extensive research and mostly biased by targeting activists, volunteers, and leftists. Instead of maligning and harming people— especially the youth for using their constitutionally protected right to free expression, the government and its allies should strive to address valid criticism of its policies and practices. Aside from this, groups and individuals who propagate and patronize red-tagging should be rightfully punished.

There is more to the impact of the youth’s political participation than simple social media campaigns, volunteerism, or activism. All the same, there is more to the youth’s aspiration for change than barriers and unsubstantiated— if not deadly claims. If we look close enough— away from the loyalist sight, we might see that these barriers are not-so-invisible after all, they are painted blood-red.•