Anakbayan Sydney

26/02/2026

Last week, Anakbayan Sydney held a film screening and discussion to reflect on the relevance and lessons of the 1986 EDSA People Power Uprising, especially as another Marcos is returned to power, continuing his father's legacy of corruption, fascism and imperial plunder.

As revisionist history proliferates alternate images of the past, it is important to screen and reflect on works like Signos (1983) by Concerned Artists of the Philippines and Nick Deocampo's Revolutions Happen like Refrains in a Song (1987) that present a counter-perspective. 

Discussions centred on the historical context leading up to the mass protests and unpacked key questions. How has the Philippines changed since 1986? How has it remained the same? What is the role of the revolutjonary artist? And what does it mean to be Filipino?

Keep in touch with Anakbayan socials for info about future screenings.

25/02/2026

On the 40th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Uprising, Anakbayan Sydney calls on Filipino youth to reignite the spirit of People Power and unite in demanding justice and accountability from President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., Vice President Sara Duterte, and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The injustices of the past have only worsened today. The regime of Marcos Jr. finds itself mired in corruption scandal after corruption scandal, and it has used political theatre, red-tagging and harassment to silence critics and activists. Systemic corruption, state repression, and neoliberal policies like the Labour Export Policy (LEP) mirror the darkest chapters of his father's regime.

The dismissal of the impeachment complaint against Marcos Jr. shields him from accountability over multi-billion peso kickbacks and misused public funds. Money meant for education, healthcare, and social services is being lost to corruption, while workers' demands for a ₱1,200 increase to the National Minimum Wage are ignored by the ruling elite.

Meanwhile, Sara Duterte's early push for the 2028 presidency is being used to avoid 2026 impeachment proceedings. We must not allow political ambition to shield anyone from accountability for the abuse of public trust.

The militarisation of the Philippines through the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) tightens foreign imperialist powers' grip on the nation, propping up a ruling class that perpetuates corruption and exploitation. Under the direction of US imperialism, the same corrupt system which allowed the brutality of Martial Law sustains the Marcos-Duterte regime now. 

As Filipino youth abroad, we see this as a continuation of the struggle against feudalism, imperialism and bureaucrat capitalism. We must unite with the mass movement in the homeland and with other people's struggles for genuine national democracy.

LAHAT NG SANGKOT, DAPAT MANAGOT!
PATALSIKIN ANG PAPET, KORAP, AT PAHIRAP NA REHIMENG US-MARCOS-DUTERTE!

STOP THE CORRUPT, FROM THE BOTTOM TO THE TOP!
OUST THE CORRUPT U.S. PUPPET REGIME OF MARCOS-DUTERTE!

22/02/2026

Please share and donate 🙏

Migrante Australia is raising funds for Jeffrey Lopez: https://gofund.me/9c8b54213 A few days ago, Jeffrey Lopez, a Filipino welder based in Cairns, reached out to Migrante Australia after being unfairly dismissed from his job, underpaid throughout his employment, and forced out of his home by his employer with only two days notice. He came to Australia to build a better future for his family, and what happened to him should not happen to anyone. We are raising funds to help him get back on his feet as we support him in pursuing justice through the proper legal channels.

Will let Jeffrey tell you what happened in his own words.

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"Hello mga kababayan. Ako si Jeffrey, Pinoy welder sa Cairns. I came to Australia to provide for my family back home. I've got three young kids who are 2, 3, and 6 years old, and I've got parents who are also getting old.

I've been here almost two and a half years on a 482 visa. I was originally working in Perth before moving to Cairns. I joined the company as a full-time employee and worked there for 8 months. I worked hard and showed up every day. But during that time, I experienced regular bullying and harassment from my colleagues and my manager. It was hard. But I just kept my head down and kept working.

Then on 6 February, I was told to stop coming in. No pay, nothing in writing, and no explanation of what I had done wrong. I waited for almost a week not knowing what was happening.

Then on 13 February, I went back to work thinking everything was okay. But halfway through my shift, I was called into the office and told my job was finished. Just like that. No reason, no warning, no chance to say anything.

When I asked for a proper explanation and to be paid for my hours worked, my employer told me "Do you know how much money we have to spend to get you to work for us?" I was very humiliating. I knew it wasn't right but I didn't know who to turn to or what I could do.

My employer also showed up where I'm staying unannounced with no notice and no letter. He told me I should immediately pack up and leave as I should no longer stay in the accommodation provided for by the company. I later found out that by law I should have been given at least a month's notice to vacate.

I have less than $50 left. I don't know anyone in Cairns who can help me. My family is waiting for me to send money home, and I don't know where I'm sleeping next week. I just want to find a way forward."

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Jeffrey's story is painful — but it is not uncommon. Temporary visa holders, particularly those on 407 Training Visas and 482 Employer-Sponsored Visas, are among the most vulnerable workers in Australia.

This needs to change. We are calling on both the Philippine and Australian governments to strengthen protections for migrant workers, enforce due process, and hold exploitative employers accountable.

But right now, Jeffrey needs immediate help.

We are raising funds to cover:

- Temporary accommodation and food in Cairns

- A flight ticket to NSW where Jeffrey has contacts who can take him in while he gets back on his feet

No amount is too small. If you can't donate, please help spread. Maraming salamat!

12/02/2026

Anakybayan Sydney presents a film screening and discussion of “Signos (Omens)” and Nick Deocampo’s “Revolutions Happen Like Refrains in a Song” on Friday 20 Feb at 6pm.

This event marks the 40th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA People Power Uprising, a series of protests led by millions of Filipinos across all sectors that ousted the fascist dictator Ferdinand Marcos. This is also a lead-up to the mobilisations commemorating the EDSA Uprising, here in Australia, in the Philippines, and across the global Filipino diaspora.

Date: Fri 20 February
Time: 6pm AEST
Location: Humanist Society of NSW, 10 Shepherd St, Chippendale
Vegan and gluten-free food will be provided.
Register: https://anakbayansydney.fillout.com/edsa-film-screening

Against the backdrop of a nation struggling under the oppressive regime of martial law, "Signos" (1983) captures the diverse struggles and aspirations of ordinary Filipinos. It honours the courage of those who dared to challenge the prevailing system and fight for justice, freedom, and human rights.

Narrated by Deocampo in English, “Revolutions Happen Like Refrains in a Song” (1987) documents the anti-Marcos uprising, the life of drag performer Oliver, child prostitution, and the filmmaker’s own personal history, including his homosexuality, filmmaking, and travels abroad.

The screening will be followed by a discussion, reflecting on the uprising’s legacy and its relevance today as we enter the fourth year of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s presidency.

11/02/2026

Anakbayan Sydney condemns in the strongest possible terms the violent repression of the NSW police against protesters opposing Zionist president Isaac Herzog’s visit. This extravagant show of state force is a direct manifestation of fascism embedded in a genocidal settler colony, deployed to protect a war criminal and silence solidarity with Palestine.

Such violence is foundational to the so-called Australian state, built on the invasion, dispossession, and ongoing genocide of First Nations peoples. The police batons, pepper spray and kettling formations used on protestors, including members of the Filipino contingent, are the modern tools of the same colonial project that has always sought to crush resistance.

These events mark an alarming rise of fascism, exposing the state apparatus and its foot soldiers as loyal servants to the US empire and its Zionist allies. NSW Police maintains active training and exchange programs with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), importing tactics of occupation and population control onto stolen First Nations land.

This repression also exposes the true purpose of the draconian anti-protest laws, which criminalise the democratic right to protest and provide legal cover for state terror.

We recognise clear and chilling parallels to the state terror and fascism employed by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) against activists, Indigenous communities, peasants and dissenters.

We salute the grassroots medics who aided the injured, demonstrating the people’s true solidarity in the face of state violence. We stand with First Nations activists, who face compounded violence for their solidarity with Palestine.

From the Philippines to so-called Australia to Palestine, our struggles are interconnected. Against rising global fascism, we must build united, militant people’s power.

END POLICE BRUTALITY!
SMASH FASCISM AND SETTLER COLONIALISM!
LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!

29/01/2026

Anakbayan Sydney was proud to represent Filipino youth and students at BAYAN Australia’s 3rd general assembly on 25 January on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurung people of the Kulin nation in Melbourne.

This year’s theme called on us to “Strengthen the compatriots movement and international solidarity to oust the corrupt, fascist, and puppet US-Marcos-Duterte regime. Advance the Anti-Fascist and Anti-Imperialist Struggle!”

We congratulate the newly elected executive committee of , who will carry forward the alliance’s General Plan of Action for 2026-2028. A special congratulations to Anakbayan Sydney’s Chairperson, Eric, elected by the Country Assembly to serve as Vice Chairperson.

As a member organisation, we reaffirm our commitment the national democratic struggle in the Philippines by arousing, organising and mobilising the Filipino youth abroad. Filipino youth and students, join us in this honourable mission. DM to get involved.

27/01/2026

🚨 OPEN LETTER | URGENT CALL TO THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

Given the escalating situation in Mindoro, Anakbayan Sydney and Anakbayan Melbourne are demanding the Australian Government to end all military support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and demand the immediate release of Chantal Anicoche.

Full letter below:

On 1 January 2026, reports emerged on aerial bombardments and ground military operations in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, which massacred five and devastated the Mangyan-Iraya Indigenous Peoples of Mindoro, disproportionately impacting women and children. According to local government data, 769 individuals were forcibly displaced and evacuated to a local high school.

During these operations, US citizen Chantal Anicoche, a young volunteer and community researcher working alongside Indigenous Mangyan-Iraya communities, was unlawfully detained and remains under military custody of the AFP. Chantal was in Mondoro to support community-based research and humanitarian efforts. Her detention reflects a concerning pattern of harassment, red-tagging and criminalisation of Indigenous peoples in the Philippines, as well as international volunteers and researchers living and integrating with these Indigenous communities.

We are deeply alarmed by the grave human rights violations committed against the Mangyan-Iraya Indigenous Peoples of Mindoro, carried out under the authority of the Philippine government. It is deeply disturbing that military operations against this already vulnerable community have resulted in the deaths of youth and children who posed no conceivable threat. These were young lives cut short with futures full of promise.

The Mangyan-Iraya people, one of the Philippines’ Indigenous groups, are among the most marginalised communities in the country. The island of Mindoro has been devastated by the AFP’s ongoing military assaults, which has led to multiple cases of the murder of civilians, including women, Indigenous youth and peasants. The targeting of their youth constitutes a profound violation of Indigenous rights and exposes the deadly consequences of state militarisation on ancestral lands.

The Australian Government maintains extensive military ties with the Philippines, including through the Australia-Philippines Status of Visiting Forces Agreement, joint military exercises and training programs, defence capability cooperation, intelligence sharing and transfers of military equipment and technology.

These ties make Australia complicit in human rights violations perpetuated by the AFP. The government’s support lends legitimacy and capability to institutions that have demonstrated a pattern of state-sanctioned violence against civilians, including Indigenous Peoples, children and youth.

Australia is a party to numerous international instruments that should guide our foreign policy, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Genocide Convention. Supporting military forces that harm children and youth puts Australia at odds with its own international obligations.

We call on the Australian Government to:

1️⃣ Suspend all military funding to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

2️⃣ Demand an independent investigation into the violation of International Humanitarian Law committed by the Philippine government, with international and human rights observers.

3️⃣ Demand the safe return of Chantal Anicoche to the US and seek accountability for her illegal detention.

4️⃣ Demand the end of the red-tagging of students and youth to respect the fundamental right of freedom of speech and assembly in accordance with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

5️⃣ Conduct a comprehensive review of Australia’s military relationship with the Philippines with attention to human rights and accountability mechanisms.

The deaths of Mangyan-Iraya youth and children demand concrete action. Australia must not be complicit through military support and cooperation. Anakbayan Sydney calls on the government to place human rights and the lives of Indigenous children and youth above strategic convenience.

Signed,

Anakbayan Sydney
Anakbayan Melbourne
Anakbayan Melbourne CBD

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Circulate this letter to your local and federal MP and sign the petition

On 1 January 2026, aerial bombardments and ground operations by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro, massacred five civilians and devastated Mangyan-Iraya communities, disproportionately affecting women and children. Over 700 people were forcibly displaced,....

22/01/2026

Join Anakbayan Sydney and on Sunday, 1 February, as KATRIBU Kalipunan connects from the Philippines to audiences on Gadigal (Sydney) and Naarm (Melbourne).

The program will open with ’ National Minority Situationer on the Indigenous and Bangsamoro situation in the Philippines, followed by a panel discussion with Indigenous activists from the Philippines, Gadigal land, Naarm, West Papua, and Latin America. The conversation aims to build anti-colonial, anti-imperial global solidarity for First Nations’ struggles for land, life and dignity.

Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2026
Time: 3-7pm
Location: Humanist Society of NSW, Chippendale

LONG LIVE INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY!

20/01/2026

Anakbayan Sydney calls on Filipino Youth to mobilise on Invasion Day

We stand in militant solidarity with First Nations peoples in their struggle for land back, justice and sovereignty. For 238 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have resisted colonial invasion and defended their ancestral lands against an ongoing genocidal project.

We live and organise on stolen, unceded land. As Filipinos, we know what stolen feels like. Our history is a legacy of resistance against over 300 years of Spanish plunder, British occupation, Japanese invasion and ongoing US imperialist domination.

Today the US-Marcos puppet regime enforces its rule through monopoly capitalism that strangles our economy and imperialist dictates that corrupt our sovereignty.

We are here because the reactionary state’s Labor Export Policy (LEP) forces our people away from the homeland, commodifying Filipinos as cheap, disposable exports to serve imperialist economies.

Yet, we remain steadfast. From abroad, we organise with discipline, advancing the national democratic movement towards genuine liberation in the Philippines

As guests on occupied land, we recognise our responsibility to stand in solidarity with First Nations peoples in their anti-colonial struggle, against colonial dispossession, violent policing, mass incarceration and removal policies.

ALWAYS WAS, ALWAYS WILL BE
ABORIGINAL LAND

13/01/2026

Join the Filipino youth contingent to Stop Murders in Custody on Sunday, 18 January at Hyde Park. 10 years on from the murder of David Dungay Jnr inside Long Bay Jail, First Nations communities still wait for truth, accountability and justice.

The colonial state uses policing, incarceration and militarisation to target First Nations peoples, violating their sovereignty and suppressing resistance. State violence operates across borders, from record-high incarceration and deaths in custody rates in so-called Australia to extrajudicial killings of Indigenous Peoples and Bangsamoro communities in the Philippines. We must fight it, everywhere.

06/01/2026