MANILA, PHILIPPINES – Attorney and activist Renee Louise Co, 28, has faced serious intimidation during her nascent political career, including in-person threats against her safety. Still, she’s running as the first nominee for the Kabataan Partylist, which aims, among other goals, to end political dynasties in the country.
In elections on May 12, Filipinos will cast ballots in the face of a deeply divided country. Former President Rodrigo Duterte is running to be mayor of his hometown of Davao City, and is broadly expected to win. Duterte’s rule, between 2016 and 2022, was marked by widespread extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and other people who were thought to be criminals. He was arrested in March and is currently being held in a detention cell in The Hague, where he’s facing charges, in the International Criminal Court, related to that drug crackdown.
Some of Co’s opponents are staunch Duterte advocates who support the return of the death penalty and other changes. Co, in contrast, says she aims to bring fresh – and young – faces into the national political scene.
Global Press Journal’s Geela Garcia photographed Co in the weeks leading up to the election.
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Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Renee Louise Co, the first nominee for the Kabataan Partylist, takes selfies with supporters at Liwasang Bonifacio square in Manila on March 28, in the final weeks before the country’s May 12 election. She speaks to people about the rising cost of basic goods and the importance of electing people who advocate for under-represented communities. “Hello! We’re Kabataan Partylist. We filed the free college tuition bill in Congress,” she says, handing out flyers. Co, a 28-year-old attorney and activist, has made it her mission to end political dynasties in Congress — and she believes it starts with engaging the people most impacted by inequality.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Though the 1987 Constitution prohibits political dynasties, a lack of enabling legislation means the rule is unenforced. Nearly 80% of Congress members and 50% of all elected officials come from dynastic families, according to a 2022 Ateneo School of Government study. Co says her fight is not just about running for office — it’s about disrupting a system where power is inherited instead of earned.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Co addresses a crowd outside Dagonoy Public Market in Manila, on April 1. This is one of many grassroots stops for Kabataan Partylist, a youth-led political party that Co believes represents the only authentic youth voice in Congress. Her campaign blends policy reminders — like the free college tuition law they helped pass — with calls for structural reform. “We need to draw our political line, build alliances, and advance the genuine interests of the people,” she tells the crowd.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Vendors at the Dagonoy Public Market smile while receiving flyers from youth campaigners in Manila, on April 1. Co and her team believe that engaging with voters in informal, face-to-face settings can be more impactful than speeches. She hopes that reminding people of concrete wins, like tuition-free university, will earn trust — but that the deeper message about dismantling political dynasties will keep them engaged. “The call for the youth is to become leaders despite coming from different backgrounds,” Co says.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Co meets with youth organizers at the University of the Philippines, Manila, on April 10. Wherever Co goes, she is never alone. As part of her security strategy, she is always accompanied by a buddy. The threats she faces — including deepfake videos, being labeled a communist, and in-person intimidation — are part of what she calls the cost of truth-telling in Philippine politics. “Balancing my security and performing political work is not heavy,” she says. “It’s the reality of the world that dismays me.”
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Co speaks at a leadership training seminar on mass campaigns and parliamentary procedure at the University of the Philippines, Manila, on April 10. For Kabataan Partylist, building youth political power starts with education. But even these internal spaces are not always safe. During a previous training, 15 masked men stormed the venue, shouting accusations that Co was aligned with communism and was poisoning young minds. Co sees these incidents as attempts to silence movements that expose corruption and inequality — tactics that only strengthen her resolve.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
The Pasig River is seen from Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), on April 9. PUP is known for its history of student activism, and Co says it's students like these who benefit most from the laws the Kabataan Partylist has fought for. Siegfred Severino says he supports Co and her party because they pushed through legislation that ensures free tuition, which made it possible for him to attend a degree program for agribusiness. “I’ve seen their tireless commitment,” he says, echoing Co’s belief that real reforms require persistent pressure from young people.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Protesters call out during a ceremony for people killed during the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, in Manila, on March 28. Co stands in solidarity with those affected by state violence, connecting today’s abuses to broader patterns of unaccountable power. She attended the event alongside other candidates and activists, calling attention to how dissent is criminalized in the Philippines. “Anyone who reveals the rotten system of our society is being attacked,” she says. Her advocacy political resistance, she says, must include remembrance. Still, some young people support other political groups, including the Duterte Youth Party. Res Ezer Gaid believes in reinstating the death penalty, a mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program and federalism. Kabataan Partylist grooms young minds toward communism, Gaid says.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
A Kabataan Partylist jingle blares from a megaphone in traffic in Manila, on April 10. With traditional media often inaccessible or hostile, Co turns to grassroots tools — sound trucks and social media like TikTok — to connect with voters. She’s known to dub trending audio clips with political messages to reach younger audiences. In a digital age rife with misinformation, she sees creative campaigning not as a gimmick but a form of survival.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
Renee Louise Co joins a candle-lighting ceremony for victims of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war, at Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila, on March 28. She stands beside other candidates for office and longtime activists Amirah Lidasan, Mimi Doringo and Mody Floranda. The gathering is not just about mourning — it’s about accountability. As the daughter of a generation shaped by state violence, Co believes in calling out impunity, even when it makes her a target. “The attacks remind us what’s at stake,” she says.
Geela Garcia, GPJ Philippines
After a long day of campaigning, Renee Louise Co does her face and hair routine before bed, on April 10. Between rallies and workshops, she also edits TikTok videos, using humor and storytelling to highlight youth concerns. From tuition to disinformation, Co tackles serious topics with approachability — all while under threat. “We understand the necessity to persist,” she says. Even quiet moments, she believes, are part of the work.
