Despite trailing in several polls, presidential aspirant and labor leader Ka Leody de Guzman, together with his running mate Walden Bello, have launched their national bids on Tuesday at the Bantayog ng Mga Bayani in Quezon City.
De Guzman and Bello, both nominees for the Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM), were accompanied by senatorial hopefuls Atty. Luke Espiritu, Roy Cabonegro, and David D’Angelo, who are also working for political reforms and addressing the interests of the marginalized.
2022 #ManggagawaNaman PROCLAMATION RALLY | Partido Lakas ng Masa2022 #ManggagawaNaman PROCLAMATION RALLY | Partido Lakas ng Masa
Posted by Ka Leody De Guzman on Tuesday, February 8, 2022
During de Guzman’s speech, he discussed his motivations for running for president, given the fact that he is competing against stronger political personalities.
“Tuwing ako ay i-interview-hin ng media, lagi nilang tinatanong, ‘Ka Leody saan ka humuhugot ng lakas ng loob para banggain itong mga dambuhalang kalaban mo?’ Ang sabi ko, sa mga manggagawa at mga maralitang pinagsasamantalahan. Sila ang aking inspirasyon. Sila ang dahilan kung bakit ako patuloy na nakikipaglaban,” he said.
Furthermore, de Guzman stated that the Philippine government has been favoring the capitalist system for years, and ordinary people are still suffering as a result.
“Ang ating gobyerno ay hindi natin [nagiging] gobyerno. Ang ating gobyerno ay [nagiging] gobyerno ng mga kapitalista sa ating lipunan. Kaya ang nangyayari, ang mga mayayaman, ang mga malalaking kapitalista sa ating bayan ay yaman nang yaman. At tayong mga nasa baba na mahihirap ay hirap nang hirap.”
He also hoped that this election would reform the pro-capitalist administration, emphasizing that the country’s economic system should be for the benefit of all.
The proclamation event, however, appeared to have been an election violation because his team failed to get the required campaign permission, according to the Commission on Elections.
The camp admitted that they were unable to sort out the permit and that there was a “misunderstanding” because the event was originally supposed to take place at Amoranto Stadium before being moved.
