Laban! Chapter 8: Hand Gestures in the People Power Revolution

While every culture has its own methods of nonverbal communication, in the 1980s it was common to see Filipinos raise their hands to communicate their allegiance to one of the Presidential candidates: a “V” for Marcos, or an “L” for Corazon Acquino. While the Communist Party of the Philippines (the political arm of the New People’s Army) did not field a candidate in the 1986 election, supporters of the CPP/NPA used the ubiquitous raised fist to indicate their fidelity to communist ideals. These gestures were an essential part of the milieu of the Philippines in the 1980s, and People Power uses these gestures throughout the game. Therefore, it is important that we understand their origin and meaning.

The “V” gesture (with palm facing away from the person making the sign) has been used to represent victory since early in World War II. It was introduced in this context during a BBC Radio broadcast by Victor de Laveleye, a Belgian government official, to galvanize resistance to the German occupation. He believed that the “V” gave the resistance an easily recognizable symbol of resistance, and within a few weeks of his radio broadcast the “V” was used as a gesture, as graffiti, and as a symbol of resistance. The BBC began a “V for Victory” campaign to bolster use of the symbol, and it was broadly adopted around the world, most famously by Winston Churchill. After the war, the gesture retained the “Victory” connotations, but gained other symbolism (most notably as the ‘peace’ sign).

When Marcos ascended to the Presidency in 1965, he used the “V” to symbolize the Victory of his campaign, party, and agenda. This symbol was adopted by his supporters and future campaigns, and was a common sight at Marcos’ political rallies. During the People Power Revolution, Marcos’ supporters outside Malacanang Palace flashed the “V” sign to support Marcos’ attempt to legitimize his claimed election bid by proceeding with his inauguration. Even after his resignation and exile to Hawaii, his supporters would raise the “V” at parties or celebrations held in his honor.

The liberal opposition, led by Corazon Aquino and Salvador Laurel, had a competing gesture: a raised “L” which stood for “Laban” which means “fight” in Filipino. The “L” sign originated during Ninoy Aquino’s early political opposition through the Lakas ng Bayan (People’s Power) party, which was abbreviated “LABAN.” Although Corazon Aquino ran as part of a coalition between PDP-Laban (a merger of the Philippine Democratic Party and LABAN) and UNIDO (United Nationalist Democratic Organization), supporters of any centrist or left-leaning party were known to raise the “L” as a symbol of defiance to Marcos and hope for a different future. The color yellow was also strongly associated with reform, and was the official color of Lakas ng Bayan (UNIDO’s color was green, which is why Laurel is often pictured wearing a green shirt). To this day, these symbols are widely used by political figures and their supporters in the Philippines.

Communist political parties were outlawed for the majority of the existence of the CPP/NPA, so they adopted the tactic of a united front, endorsing a variety of opposition candidates during regional and parliamentary elections. The National Democratic Front (NDF) is one of many opposition groups that closely aligned with the NPA that influenced political opinion and promoted revolutionary social and economic justice. Advocates of revolutionary politics often use the raised fist as a symbol of defiance and force, as well as a gesture of solidarity. This symbol has been widely adopted around the world since the early 20th century in this context, and was used by students, leftists, communists, and revolutionaries during the 1980s in the Philippines. One especially notable example is Leandro Alejandro, a student activist and political leader who was assassinated in 1987.

Each of these symbols has a prominent place in People Power, from the cards to the Support, Opposition and Resistance markers. None is more prominent than the “L”, however, as that is the enduring symbol of the People Power Revolution. That’s why our artist, Donal Hegarty chose to feature this symbol on the back of the cards (early sample card back pictured; not final art). While many US based gamers may have the association of “L for Loser,” in the Philippines the “L” means nearly the opposite: fight for your beliefs, fight for your country, and fight for power.