Organizational Background
The Youth for Nationalism and Democracy, or YND lives the militant tradition of the youth and student movement in the 1980s, in the First Quarter Storm and during the repressive Martial Law era.
YND believes that it is imperative to arouse, organize and mobilize the vast number of youth and students in advancing the national and democratic interests of the Filipino people against elite democracy and imperialist domination to change the neo-colonial and semi-feudal state of Philippine society.
In 1997, the already divided peoples’ movement again suffered an internal crisis which resulted into another split. Amidst this crisis several youth and student leaders from Central Luzon and Metro Manila chose to stay and hold on to the cause of the people rather than be demoralized. In 1998, the leaders and forces of the youth and student movement decided then to revive the Youth for Nationalism and Democracy (YND) which was originally established in 1984. The initial forces of the re-established YND then became a part of a new coalition of progressive mass organizations, the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD) which was also established in 1998.
Since its formal establishment in 2001, YND has been at the forefront of the youth and students’ struggles for democratic rights and interests, campaigning against tuition fee hike, higher state subsidy for the education sector, and for other students’ rights and welfare issues. It also engaged into campus politics and has elected its members in the student council. From a few chapters in Central Luzon and the National Capital Region, YND is now a national organization, with chapters in different schools and communities nationwide.
YND believes that it is imperative to arouse, organize and mobilize the vast number of youth and students in advancing the national and democratic interests of the Filipino people against elite democracy and imperialist domination to change the neo-colonial and semi-feudal state of Philippine society.
In 1997, the already divided peoples’ movement again suffered an internal crisis which resulted into another split. Amidst this crisis several youth and student leaders from Central Luzon and Metro Manila chose to stay and hold on to the cause of the people rather than be demoralized. In 1998, the leaders and forces of the youth and student movement decided then to revive the Youth for Nationalism and Democracy (YND) which was originally established in 1984. The initial forces of the re-established YND then became a part of a new coalition of progressive mass organizations, the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD) which was also established in 1998.
Since its formal establishment in 2001, YND has been at the forefront of the youth and students’ struggles for democratic rights and interests, campaigning against tuition fee hike, higher state subsidy for the education sector, and for other students’ rights and welfare issues. It also engaged into campus politics and has elected its members in the student council. From a few chapters in Central Luzon and the National Capital Region, YND is now a national organization, with chapters in different schools and communities nationwide.