FILE PHOTO: Labor leader Leody de Guzman, chair of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino. (Photo from his Facebook account)
MANILA, Philippines — A government and an economy of the masses — that’s what presidential candidate Leody De Guzman is pushing for.
“This election is a good opportunity to change the course of politics. It should be the politics of the masses, and we should change the economy. It should be the economy of the masses, of the public, and not of the few,” De Guzman said in Filipino on Tuesday during the proclamation rally of Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) at the Bantayog ng Mga Bayani in Quezon City.
“It should be a government of the people, not of the millionaires. The people should come first, not profits, because for the longest time, the people in our government have come from the top of the society — the millionaires, the capitalists, and the landlords,” he added.
De Guzman said that these kinds of politicians turn their backs on the public after winning their votes.
If these people would continue to be in position, the country’s situation will worsen, he said.
“If we allow these trapos [traditional politicians] to get positions — the dynasties, the elitists — our country, which is the Pearl of the Orient, might become a Desert of Poverty,” he said.
“Change is within us if we would support and embrace candidates who are like us and who have a long track record of fighting for our interests,” he added.
De Guzman is a labor leader vying for the presidency with activist Walden Bello as his vice-presidential running mate.
The campaign period for the May 9 elections started on Feb. 8 for national candidates while it will begin on March 25 for local candidates.
READ: Activist Walden Bello runs for VP as Ka Leody’s running mate