In Philippine politics, few groups get as much heat as the Makabayan Bloc. The accusations are familiar—subversives, communists, destabilizers. Every election cycle, every major policy debate, their names get thrown around like a warning label. But for all the noise, has anyone actually stopped to ask: Why are we so afraid of them?
For years, red-tagging has been used to shut down progressive voices. But here’s the thing—labeling doesn’t solve problems. It doesn’t answer why millions of Filipinos are still struggling with low wages, inaccessible healthcare, and political dynasties hoarding power.
Neri Colmenares has spent years pushing for laws that benefit the poor—free dialysis treatments, a national minimum wage, stronger human rights protections. Yet instead of debating these ideas, opponents resort to calling him and his colleagues communists.
In other countries, the left has successfully fought for policies we now take for granted—universal healthcare, labor protections, gender equality laws, free education. These aren’t radical ideas; they’re standard in functioning democracies.
So why is it that in the Philippines, when similar policies are proposed, they’re immediately dismissed as dangerous? Why does fighting for a living wage somehow mean being anti-government?
We don’t necessarily have to agree with them, but at least we have to ask ourselves why certain ideas are off-limits before they’re even debated. If the Makabayan Bloc’s policies are flawed, then let’s argue them on their merits—not through fear-mongering.
Because at the end of the day, dismissing ideas without debate doesn’t make them disappear—it just keeps the same broken system in place.
Source: We the Pvblic Facebook page.
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