Anakbayan Scarborough

Reactions from Anakbayan Scarborough members on the Negros19 killings:

"Makes me angry that the government would target people - ordinary people like you and me - who just want to learn about how the struggle is like back home and try to create their own stories to justify their killing. It makes me sad that people trying to defend their livelihood - to protect the land they live on - are painted as having deserved their death at the hands of the state.

"Filipinos overseas want to go back home to become more connected to our land, to grow our roots. To understand better why our parents/families left, and to know for ourselves what life is like back home, and to witness for ourselves what is actually happening. As youth, so much of our questions get fielded with “you won’t understand,” “life is just harder there, just accept it.” Well-meaning, protective responses I’m sure but these answers end up building walls that block us from knowing who we are and where we come from."

"I think our roles in the diaspora to make sure that their deaths were not in vain. That we continue to share stories about the lives of the Toboso 19, the conditions of peasants and farmers on the ground, that there is acknowledgement and discussion where those in power would rather have silence"

“They (Negros19 victims) see the systems that are put in place, and to know something is to experience it. I think people will go back home to get those experiences so they can listen to these communities, help there and come back to share it”

“Our role is to stay educated/updated but most importantly to go out into our own communities. Organize your people and bring everyone else up with you. Education is important but experiences and connection are necessary.
build community- there are many ways people can do that, and what we’ve seen that’s really impactful is by connecting with peasants in Negros and other oppressed communities”

ANAKBAYAN SCARBOROUGH (ABSC) condemns the 19 Philippine state killings including journalist RJ Ledesma, UP student leader Alyssa Alano, peasant advocates Errol Wendel, Maureen Santuyo. And US activists Lyle Prijoles, and Kai Sorem.

ABSC members gathered in the Scarborough community, to discuss Toboso19, and the struggle of peasant farmers in the Philippines.Members of the Scarborough community expressed concern and shock, many of whom are first discovering about the Philippine state’s human rights and international humanitarian law violations.

Indiscriminate bombing and strafing in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, happened in Negros Occidental on April 19, 2026.
Bombings killed 19 people,and displaced 653 residents.This state violence is nothing new, Negros being “Sugar bowl of the Philippines,” is a product of oligarchs of the sugar industry - part of the 1% of the Philippine population that hold wealth, economic, political, and military control.

SLIDE4
From Marcos Sr, to Marcos Jr administration
1960-70s: PD27- land used to form cash crops were exempt from land reform. Protected Marcos cronies (Cojuanco, Juan Ponce Enrile) keeping export- oriented economy.

1984- 1985: NEGROS FAMINE - National Sugar Trading Corporation (NASUTRA) controlled sugar production and trading -government backed sugar monopoly. 190,000 sygarcane workers lost their livelihood

1985: THE ESCALANTE MASSACRE that claimed 20 lives (mostly hacienda workers) Negros under de-facto martial law. Increased poverty and social unrest - > armed resistance

2018: THE SAGAY MASSACRE, killed 9 sugarcane farmers. (Part of National Federation of Sugar Workers) Including 4 women and 2 children.

SLIDE5
SOVFA Status of Visiting Forces Agreement - Canada has been increasing its support for the corrupt Government of the Philippines through the Indo-Pacific Strategy, which currently involves exporting military goods and through the recent ratification of the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement.

BALIKATAN EXERCISES- Canadian Armed Forces are participating in the exercises with Philippines as part of their posturing of “peace and stability in the indo-pacific region”

We know Canada’s military involvement in the Philippines will only bring about destructruction to the environment, displacement of peasant and indigenous communities, state killings.

More foreign military will not address the root issues of armed conflict, nor the majority of issues the Filipino people (being peasants) of landless and poverty.

SLIDE 6
What Can We Do?

Join Community Vigil in Toronto for Negros19 for the lives lost on April 30

Join your local AB chapter, and follow activities for Ka Daning - Peasant leader of Kilusang Magbuikid Ng Pilipinas May 3-5

Carry out the calls for an independent investigation for the Negros19

It’s Not A Crime to Go Back Home! Activism is not a Crime! Join an PH Expo tour delegation this year - to immerse with the peasants

SHARE THE share e-petition e-7106 Against the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement

Anakbayan Scarborough members call for the immediate release of Chantal from the hands of the AFP! Members of the community in Scarborough who signed the petition, expressed their concerns for Chantal, and believe she should be safely returned to her family. We are justifiably concerned for Chantal's safety given the AFP's decades-long track record of human rights violations, including the planting of evidence to fabricate criminal charges.
Chantal went missing for a week after being caught in the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) indiscriminate aerial bombing and strafing attack in Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro on New Year's Day. She was in the area to learn from and help conduct relief work with rural communities directly impacted by environmental disasters and poverty.

Just last year October 2025, the International Solidarity Mission (ISM) held in the Philippines hosted delegates (community leaders, journalists, academics, environmental and human rights advocates) to Learn in Solidarity from communities affected by Climate Injustice and Militarism.The AFP and Philippine National Police surveilled and harassed the delegates on the campgrounds and by drones.
We condemn the continuous harassment, attacks, and aerial bombings by the AFP in Mindoro in the pretense of “protecting the peace and the people.” When they are only protecting the interests of mining companies that benefit only the rich elite.
For some community members in Scarborough, it was the first time hearing about the oppression of Mangyan indigenous communities in Mindoro who experience displacement through land extraction mining projects. Chantal chose to share her skills as a Filipino youth community leader, and a Psychology graduate to serve the Mangyan community and understand and immerse in their struggles.�
This new year, they faced an aerial bombing and strafing that has led to the killing of 3 Mangyan children, two other student researchers, and the displacement of 188 families in the area. Jerlyn Doydora has been named as one of the students who died as a result.
Many are concerned with the violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), especially following the Canadian government signing a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) with the Philippines this past November.�
As diasporic Filipino youth and allies in Scarborough fighting for justice for the Filipino community and kababayans back home, in solidarity with all oppressed peoples worldwide, we see ourselves in Chantal and are inspired by her commitment to serving the people.�

The youth need a future!

Frustrated about climate change? Experiencing fear and doom from the capitalist system?

Let’s walk and talk! How are the current conditions and policies in Canada and the Philippines affecting these living conditions we’re in? And how can we move forward collectively, and fight for a future for all of us.

Join us on Sunday July 6, 2025 in Guildwood Park in Scarborough.

Join us in Scarborough for a community vigil to honor the victims of the Lapu-Lapu Festival tragedy in Vancouver. In the spirit of bayanihan, let us come together in unity, remembrance, and collective strength to support the families and our kababayans during this heartbreaking time.

Anakbayan Scarborough resolutely welcomes the House of Representatives’ decision to impeach Sara Duterte! Ms. Duterte has long framed herself as continuing her father’s work, which is actively being investigated by the International Criminal Court, and was found guilty of crimes against the people by the International People’s Tribunal in 2024.

Sara Duterte’s impeachment was won by the demands of the people. For the Marcoses, the convenience of their alliance ended when the Dutertes pivoted away from the full control of US imperialism, as the Marcoses wish to reclaim their family’s frozen assets controlled by the United States. For us, it is about accountability; wasted funds that could have supported our decaying education system, and eliminating the burden caused by corrupt politicians. Both the Marcoses and the Dutertes are corrupt, and part of a corrupt system that is a product of US control and long-time backward relations from our colonization, semi-feudalism.

Sara Duterte’s impeachment is an example of just one method of struggle to depose corrupt politicians in power. We must continue to demand accountability against bureaucrat capitalists for the crimes of corruption they have committed against the Filipino people. From our work in the community, Anakbayan Scarborough has encountered dozens of Filipino youth in Scarborough who had no choice but to come to Canada as international students due to poor quality of education or lack of jobs after graduation. We call for jobs in the Philippines, not abroad! We call for a family living wage of 1,200 PHP! We demand an end to all bureaucrat capitalists who fail to serve us! Filipino youth in Scarborough, join us in our fight for a genuine and national democratic Philippines!

Support our youth activists to Vancouver for the Anakbayan Canada Congress!

We are fundraising to send members of our local chapter, Anakbayan Scarborough to Anakbayan Canada’s Third National Congress.

As migrants in Canada, we support the anti-colonial and anti-imperialist struggle of Indigenous peoples against the Canadian settler state, and the national liberation struggles of all oppressed peoples. We connect our situation as migrant youth to the conditions in our homeland, recognizing that the advancement of the Filipino national democratic struggle is our greatest contribution to the liberation of exploited and oppressed youth worldwide.

As AB Scarborough, we aim to represent the specific interests of the Filipino community in Scarborough. At congress we will improve our abilities as organizers for the Scarborough community, through: educational discussions that will sharpen our experiences into tools and policy for our local chapter; presenting your experiences on the national level; and by strengthening the network of organizers that Anakbayan Scarborough has.

We hope to see you at our fundraiser, we will be showing a surprise film and food will also be provided!

Tickets are $10 or you can pay what you can!

Kitakits!

Register here: https://forms.gle/fppP1fJbPBeB8WMs7

‼️ANNOUNCEMENT‼️

The Philippine Society and Revolution Educational Discussion has been rescheduled. The new date and location will be TBD. Stay tuned for more updates and we hope to see you soon!

Kitakits! 😎

“Whoever sides with the revolutionary people is a revolutionary. Whoever sides with imperialism, feudalism and bureaucrat capitalism is a counterrevolutionary.” The near-universal basic problems of a semi-feudal, semi-colonial society are imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism. Our discussions on Philippine Society and Revolution will conclude with back-to-back discussions on the 19th and 20th on the basic problems of Philippine society and the weapons the Filipino nation and people have against them.

Register here: https://forms.gle/56axzmaZMLrcfuyA8

Save the date, become a revolutionary!

MKLRP/SCPSR Part 3, the Basic Problems of the Filipino People
Oct 19, 1pm-5pm, Thompson Memorial Park

MKLRP/SCPSR Part 4, People’s Democratic Revolution
Oct 20, 1pm-5pm, Location TBD