Makibaka o Matakot: A Study on the Different Levels of Red-Tagging and its Effect on the Number of Active Participants within the Makabayan Bloc

Red-tagging, labeling individuals or groups as communists or terrorists, has become a critical issue affecting political participation in the Philippines. This quantitative study, entitled Makibaka o Matakot: A Study on the Different Levels of Red-Tagging and its Effect on the Number of Active Participants within the Makabayan Bloc, seeks to examine how varying levels of red-tagging influence the civic engagement of members and affiliates of progressive party-list groups, including Kabataan, Gabriela, Bayan Muna, and ACT Teachers, in the National Capital Region. Grounded in Political Process Theory, the research focuses on how red-tagging shapes perceptions of personal safety, social stigma, government surveillance, and public support. Survey data from 267 participants were analyzed using correlation and regression techniques to determine the relationship between red-tagging and political involvement. The findings reveal that increased red-tagging correlates with decreased political participation, driven by heightened fear, stigma, and perceived surveillance among respondents. This study highlights red-tagging as a tool of state repression that undermines democratic freedoms, offering recommendations for human rights advocates, policymakers, and scholars to better protect political rights in the Philippine context.