The (KBL; ), formerly named the (KBLNNL; ), is a right-wing political party in the Philippines. It was first formed in 1978 as an umbrella coalition of parties supporting President Ferdinand Marcos for the Interim Batasang Pambansa (the unicameral parliament) and served as his political vehicle during his 20-year rule. It was reorganized as a political party in 1986, and is considered among the furthest to the right of the political spectrum among active parties after Marcos' ouster.
Since 1986, the KBL has contested most national and local elections in the Philippines, but has retained only a single seat in the House of Representatives in Ilocos Norte, formerly held by former first lady Imelda Marcos until 2019.
Establishment and ideology
The ideological roots of the "Bagong Lipunan" ("new society") concept can be traced to one Marcos' rationalizations for the declaration of Martial Law in September 23, 1972. In his rhetoric, Marcos contended that a system of "constitutional authoritarianism" was necessary in order to "reform society" and create a "new society" under his authority.
Six years after the declaration of Martial Law, Marcos adopted this rhetoric and used the phrase as the name of the umbrella coalition of administration parties running in the 1978 Philippine parliamentary election. The coalition retained the name when it was reorganized as a political party in 1986.
Splinter factions after the People Power Revolution
After the 1986 People Power Revolution ended Ferdinand Marcos' 21 years in power, he, his family and key followers fled to Hawaii. Marcos' party machinery quickly began to break into numerous factions, the most successful of which were Blas Ople's Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas, a reorganized Nacionalista Party led by Rafael Palmares and Renato Cayetano after the death of Senator Jose Roy, and a reorganized Kilusang Bagong Lipunan led by Nicanor Yñiguez.
By the time of the 1987 Philippine constitutional plebiscite, the reconstituted KBL under Yñiguez was the party furthest to the right among the rightwing political parties of the mid-1980s, remaining loyal to Marcos' authoritarian ideology in contrast to the Partido Nacionalista ng Pilipinas, which took a conservative centrist stance, and the Palmares wing of the Nacionalista party and the Kalaw wing of the Liberal Party which took center-right stances.
2009 party division
By 2007, KBL started to strengthen their political power, and was expected to merge with the founder's former party, Nacionalista. KBL chairman Vicente Millora advocated for a two-party system return, stating that the KBL is willing to merge with Nacionalista if the two-party system is revived.
On November 20, 2009, the KBL forged an alliance with the Nacionalista Party (NP) between Bongbong Marcos and NP Chairman Senator Manny Villar at the Laurel House in Mandaluyong. Bongbong was later on removed as a member by the KBL National Executive Committee on November 29. As such, the NP broke its alliance with the KBL due to internal conflicts within the party, though Marcos remained part of the NP Senatorial line-up.
Electoral candidacy history Candidates for the 2010 Philippine general election Vetellano Acosta (disqualified) – Presidential Candidate (lost) Jay Sonza – Vice Presidential Candidate (lost) Senatorial slate: Alma Lood (lost) Hector Villanueva (lost) Shariff Ibrahim Albani (lost) Dodong Maambong (lost) Nanette Espinosa (lost)
Candidates for the 2016 Philippine Senate election Jaiwie Peredes (lost)Under the presidential ticket of Miriam Defensor Santiago.
Candidates for the 2019 Philippine Senate election Maria Cabintoy (lost)Under the ticket of Katipunan ng Demokratikong Pilipino.
Candidates for the 2022 Philippine Senate election Nino Villamor (lost)Under the presidential ticket of Bongbong Marcos.
Candidates for the 2025 Philippine Senate election Relly Jose Jr.Didn't join any ticket.
Notable members Past Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. — (1987-1995; moved to Lakas-CMD in 1995) former Representative of 1st District of Isabela Alejandro Almendras — former Member of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Southern Mindanao and Regular Batasang Pambansa from Davao del Sur's at-large district Helena Benitez — former Member of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region IV-A and Regular Batasang Pambansa from Cavite Conrado M. Estrella III — (1987-1992; moved to Nationalist People's Coalition in 1992) former Representative of 6th District of Pangasinan Jaime C. Laya — 5th Governor of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, 1st Action Officer of Intramuros Administration, former Minister of Education, Culture, and Sports, Mambabatas Pambansa of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Minister of Budget and Management, Minister of Budget and Management Bongbong Marcos — (moved to Nacionalista Party in 2009, then to Partido Federal ng Pilipinas in 2021) former Vice Governor and Governor of Ilocos Norte, Representative of 2nd District of Ilocos Norte, former Senator (2010-2016) and the incumbent President of the Philippines (2022–present). Imee Marcos — (moved to Nacionalista Party) Senator, former Governor of Ilocos Norte, Representative of 2nd District of Ilocos Norte Estelito Mendoza — former Solicitor General of the Philippines, Governor of Pampanga, Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region III, and Minister of Justice Benjamin Romualdez - 10th Governor of Leyte, Ambassador of the Philippines to the United States, and Member of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region VIII and Regular Batasang Pambansa from Leyte Carlos P. Romulo- former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region IV-A Chavit Singson — Former Governor of Ilocos Sur Cesar Virata — 4th Prime Minister of the Philippines, 3rd Director-General of National Economic and Development Authority, former Minister of Finance, and Mambabatas Pambansa (Assemblyman) of Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region IV-A and Regular Batasang Pambansa from Cavite Rolando Abadilla — former military officer served as Vice Governor of Ilocos Norte Orlando Dulay — 3rd Governor of Quirino
Present Remy Albano — Vice Governor of Apayao Raymond Bagatsing – Manila vice mayoral candidate (2022), actor Roberto "Amay Bisaya" Reyes Jambongana – Bohol gubernatorial candidate (2019), comedian Jerry Dalipog — Governor of Ifugao Larry Gadon – secretary for poverty alleviation, senatorial candidate (2016, 2019 and 2022), former lawyer; pushed for the impeachment of former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno Efren Rafanan Sr.- Provincial Board Member of Ilocos Sur
Electoral performance Presidential and vice presidential elections Year Presidential election Vice presidential election Candidate Vote share Result Candidate Vote share Result 1981 Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Marcos(KBL) Vice presidency abolished 1986 Ferdinand Marcos DisputedSee article for details Arturo Tolentino DisputedSee article for details 1992 Imelda Marcos Fidel Ramos(Lakas–NUCD) Vicente Magsaysay Joseph Estrada(NPC) 1998 Imelda Marcos Withdraw Joseph Estrada(LAMMP–PMP) NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Edgardo Angara of LAMMP–LDP who lost. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo(Lakas–NUCD) NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Joseph Estrada of LAMMP–PMP who won. 2004 NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Fernando Poe Jr. of KNP who lost. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo(Lakas–CMD) NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Loren Legarda of KNP who lost. Noli de Castro(Independent) 2010 Vetallano AcostaAcosta was disqualified from the presidential race. Benigno Aquino III(Liberal) Jay Sonza Jejomar Binay(PDP–Laban) 2016 NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Miriam Defensor Santiago of PRP who lost. Rodrigo Duterte(PDP–Laban) NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos an independent who lost. Leni Robredo(Liberal) 2022 NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Bongbong Marcos of Partido Federal ng Pilipinas who won. Bongbong Marcos(Partido Federal) NoneEndorsed the candidacy of Sara Duterte of Lakas–CMD who won. Sara Z. Duterte(Lakas)
Legislative elections Interim Batasang Pambansa Year Seats won Result Senate abolished 1978 KBL majority Regular Batasang Pambansa Year Seats won Result Senate abolished 1984 KBL majority Congress of the Philippines Year Seats won Result Year Seats won Ticket Result 1987 Lakas ng Bansa / PDP–Laban plurality 1987 Split ticket LABAN win 22/24 seats 1992 LDP plurality 1992 Single party ticket LDP win 16/24 seats 1995 Lakas–Laban majority 1995 Nationalist People's Coalition ticket Lakas–Laban win 9/12 seats 1998 Lakas plurality 1998 Did not contest LAMMP win 7/12 seats 2001 Did not contest Lakas plurality 2001 Single party ticket People Power win 8/13 seats 2004 Lakas plurality 2004 Single party ticket K4 win 7/12 seats 2007 Lakas plurality 2007 Single party ticket Go win 8/12 seats 2010 Lakas plurality 2010 Single party ticket Liberal win 4/12 seats 2013 Liberal plurality 2013 Did not contest Team PNoy win 9/12 seats 2016 Liberal Party plurality 2016 Single party ticket Daang Matuwid win 7/12 seats 2019 PDP–Laban plurality 2019 Single party ticket HNP win 9/12 seats 2022 PDP-Laban plurality 2022 UniTeam ticket UniTeam win 6/12 seats 2025 Did not contest Lakas plurality 2025 Single party ticket Bagong Pilipinas win 6/12 seats
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