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Lakas ng Bayan (English: Power of the People), abbreviated as Laban, was an electoral alliance, later a political party, in the Philippines formed by Senator Ninoy Aquino for the 1978 Interim Batasang Pambansa regional elections. The party had 21 candidates for the Metro Manila area, all of whom lost, including Ninoy. The party's acronym (Laban) is a Filipino word meaning "fight".

After Aquino's exile to the United States, the party was managed by his brother-in-law, Peping Cojuangco

By 1984, the party had formed a coalition with the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino of Aquilino Pimentel Jr., himself a Laban party member. By 1986, the two parties were completely merged to form the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan party or PDP–Laban.

The name "Lakas ng Bayan" would eventually be reused in the 1987 Philippine legislative elections as the name of a coalition led by the United Nationalist Democratic Organization party of President Corazon C. Aquino and Vice President Salvador H. Laurel.

Organization

In a letter sent by Aquino to Senator Lorenzo Tañada dated March 16, 1982, Aquino emphasized that LABAN was a "mere umbrella organization formed to accommodate people affiliated with various parties." For Aquino, the advantage of having the LABAN umbrella was that its members could "belong to LP, NP, CSM, Citizens, PDP or whatever without losing their individual party affiliations."

Noise barrage

On April 6, 1978, supporters of the party came out in protest by asking bystanders and cars to make noise in support of the opposition. However, on April 7, 1978, the first national election under martial law held for the 165-members to the Interim Batasang Pambansa resulted in the massive victory of the administration coalition party, the “Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa” or KBL. Only 15 opposition candidates in other parts of the country won. None of the members of LABAN were elected. The opposition denounced the massive vote buying and cheating in that elections. On June 12, 1978, the Interim Batasang Pambansa was convened with Marcos as President-Prime Minister and Querube Makalintal as Speaker.

Some opposition members went into exile or were driven underground fighting against the Marcos dictatorship. Labor leader Alex Boncayao became guerrilla and was killed by government security forces in 1983.

Electoral performance

As LABAN was a coalition, the results below are combined totals of the parties under LABAN.

Parliamentary results

Batasang Pambansa

Election	Leader	Votes		Seats			Position	Government
		No.	Share	No.	±	Share
1978	Ninoy Aquino	21,541,600	10.4%	0 / 189	(new)	10.4%	(new)	KBL
1984	Jose Laurel Jr.	1,344,607	2.27%	6 / 200	6	2.27%	6	KBL

Congressional results

Notelist

1. gained seats as part of opposition coalition with UNIDO

1978 Interim Batasang Pambansa candidates

Region IV-A (Metro Manila)

See also

• PDP–Laban
• Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino
• United Nationalist Democratic Organization

References

1. Esposo, William M. (February 20, 2011). "How Filipinos almost lost LABAN". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
2. "Letter From Aquino, 16 Mar 1982". lorenzomtanada.org. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
3. Cruz, Elfren S. (February 6, 2023). "The long road to EDSA". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
4. Jimenez, Atty Josephus B. (October 12, 2024). "The four most durable and effective speakers of the House". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024.
5. "Alex Boncayao Brigade | Filipino death squad".
6. "KBL vs. Laban". lorenzomtanada.org/. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
7. Roces, Alejandro R. (August 24, 2006). "Lakas ng Bayan candidates". Philstar.com. Retrieved October 3, 2024.

• Defunct political parties in the Philippines
• Political parties established in 1978
• Political parties disestablished in 1986
• 1978 establishments in the Philippines
• 1986 disestablishments in the Philippines
• Political party alliances in the Philippines