FILE PHOTO: Presidential acandidate Leody de Guzman addresses supporters at his proclamation rally on Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani in Quezon City. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE
MANILA, Philippines — In a scenario where presidential bet Leody de Guzman loses in the 2022 polls and will be asked by the next president to instead take the helm of the labor department, he would probably decline the offer.
De Guzman said this Tuesday, explaining that he would do this because all of his rivals for the presidency have the same “framework” on labor issues that are different from his.
“Nagiging usapan na ngayon ‘yan na pa’no kung alukin ako nitong presidentiable na ito, tatanggapin mo ba bilang secretary of labor o ano man? Sinabi ko na na hindi dahil iba ‘yung framework ng mga tumatakbo sa akin,” he said in One PH’s ‘Wag Po! on Tuesday evening.
(It has become a discussion already, what if I’m offered to be the labor secretary by this presidential candidate, will I accept it? I already said no because their framework is different from mine.)
De Guzman, also known as “Ka Leody,” further explained that the labor framework of the other presidential candidates is to give life to entrepreneurs.
“Kasi kung halimbawa ako’y magiging secretary of labor, ipapatakaran kong dapat—gagamitin ko ang aking kapangyarihan na i-prohibit ang contractualization, kontra ‘yun sa kanilang framework na buhayin ang negosyo,” he said.
(Because if for example I will be the secretary of labor, I will use my power to prohibit contractualization which is against their framework that intends to revive businesses.)
“Pagka ganu’n ako katibay tumindig, malamang dalawang buwan lang, tanggal na ‘ko, lalo na kung sasabihin ko’y, ‘itaas ang sahod ng mga manggagawa sa probinsya kapantay ng sa Metro Manila’,” the labor leader added.
(If I will be that firm, maybe in just two months, I would be removed, especially when I say, “increase the wages of workers in the province at par with Metro Manila.”)
De Guzman earlier called to increase the daily minimum wage nationwide to P750.
In a previous interview, De Guzman said the labor chief has the power to end contractualization, a policy that he vowed to end should he win the 2022 presidential race.
Also, among his plans to recover the Philippine economy is the imposition of a wealth tax on the top 500 richest Filipinos in the country.