Akbayan Youth or A!Y is a youth wing of Akbayan Citizens Action Party united by common desire to promote democracy, equity, humanism and internationalism, bound by diverse and dynamic knowledge and experiences, committed to seek and traverse a socialist path in breaking traditional and elite politics and ultimately catalyzing social change through progressive activism.

This youth organization has successfully been introduced to young zamboangueños espousing participatory socialism and democracy and has barely been accredited to the National Akbayan Youth during the 1st Regular National Congress held at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City last November 25-29.

The Congress also gave way to the election of new set of officers who will continue the legacy of the founding congress. As such, the vice-Chair of A!Y Zamboanga Ronel Estrada was elected to be the National Council member of Akbayan youth. “To espouse solidarity with various civil society organizations on local, intermediate and national levels for development, democratization and other purposes for betterment of the peoples’ welfare.”, Estrada said when asked about the objective of the organization.

Furthermore, delegates from Zamboanga City passed a manifesto to strengthen programs for out-of-school youth during the congress which has been mapped in the General Plan of Action of the organization. The secretary general of A!Y Zamboanga City Grace Baylon added, “we are even willing to maximize our time as students to visit far-flung areas within the region to instill basic education to our fellow Filipino youth in order to stop the so-called culture of apathy and help them realize our roles in the society we live in.”

The chair of Akbayan Youth Zamboanga disclosed that the organization though youth wing of AKBAYAN Citizen’s Action party is an independent and autonomous organization of young people with distinct organizational processes.