Bayan Muna
Leftist political party in the Philippines
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bayan Muna (lit. 'Nation First') is a national democratic party-list in the Philippines, a member of the leftist political coalition Makabayan. The motto of the party is "New Politics, the Politics of Change", against "traditional, elitist, pro-imperialist politics".[3]
Bayan Muna | |
|---|---|
| — Philippine partylist — | |
| |
| Chairperson | Neri Colmenares |
| President | Satur Ocampo |
| Founded | September 25, 1999[1] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Left-wing[2] |
| National affiliation | Bayan Makabayan |
| Colors | Red, Yellow, Blue |
| Website | |
| www | |
Its platform includes the advocation of a government that progressively supports the masses, with meaningful representation of all democratic sectors in the Philippines.
History
With the group having contested in the elections from 2001, Bayan Muna was one of the most voted party-list party-lists up until the 2022 Philippine elections.
In the weeks leading up the 2007 elections, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, on behalf of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, admitted "Malacañang’s leading role in the fabricated charges leveled against Rep. Ocampo and the campaign to crush Bayan Muna."[4] Bayan Muna partylist representative Satur Ocampo was detained weeks prior in March 2007 on murder charges from an alleged 1984 communist purge in Leyte. The arrest was widely condemned by international observers. Rep. Ocampo was ordered released on bail by the Supreme Court.[5]
In 2010, Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo and former Bayan Muna and incumbent Gabriela Representative Liza Maza ran for senate seats as guest candidates under the ticket of billionaire real estate magnate Senator Manny Villar. Ocampo said that their common objective “is to emancipate the people from widespread poverty and social injustice."[6] This move was controversial amongst some as the ticket also included Bongbong Marcos, the son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos whom the national democratic movement opposed.
In 2019, Bayan Muna was the second most voted party-list, which gained them 3 seats in the Philippine House of Representatives. This is amidst instances of red-tagging towards its representatives and supporters.
Bayan Muna eventually faced delistment as a party-list, after it failed to gain a single seat during the 2022 and 2025 elections.[7]
Electoral performance
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | Representatives to Congress |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 1,708,253 | 11.30% | 3 | Crispin Beltran, Liza Maza, Satur Ocampo (12th Congress) |
| 2004 | 1,203,305 | 9.46% | 3 | Teodoro Casiño, Satur Ocampo, Joel Virador (13th Congress) |
| 2007 | 979,039 | 6.14% | 3 | Teodoro Casiño, Neri Colmenares, Satur Ocampo (14th Congress) |
| 2010 | 746,019 | 2.47% | 2 | Teodoro Casiño, Neri Colmenares (15th Congress) |
| 2013 | 946,308 | 3.48% | 2 | Neri Colmenares, Carlos Isagani Zarate (16th Congress) |
| 2016 | 606,566 | 1.87% | 1 | Carlos Isagani Zarate (17th Congress) |
| 2019 | 1,112,979 | 4.01% | 3 | Carlos Isagani Zarate, Ferdinand Gaite, Eufemia Cullamat (18th Congress)[8] |
| 2022 | 215,981 | 0.60% | 0 | N/A (19th Congress) |
| 2025 | 162,894 | 0.39% | 0 | N/A (20th Congress) |
List of chairpersons, secretaries general and presidents
Chairperson
- Reynaldo Lesaca Jr. (2000–2010s)[9][10][11]
- Neri Colmenares (2010s–present)[12]
Vice chairperson
- Crispin Beltran[9][13]
- Teodoro Casiño (2021–present)[12]
Secretary general
Deputy secretary general
President
- Satur Ocampo (2000–present)[10]
