Ka Leody vows to focus on agriculture, manufacturing to revive economy

Photo Courtesy of Ka Leody De Guzman Facebook Page

MANILA, Philippines —  Labor leader Leody de Guzman is planning to revitalize the country’s agriculture and manufacturing industry in order to revive the economy if he wins on May 9 and becomes the next president.

“Kung dati nakapokus sa interes o pagbuhay ng malalaking negosyante na para bang pinapasakamay ng gobyerno o dinadaan sa kamay ng malalaking negosyante ang pagpapaunlad ng ating bansa, ngayon babaliktarin ko,” said de Guzman during an interview with PTV.

(If before, we focused on the interests or reviving big businessmen as if the government is handing over the development of our country or passing through the hands of big businessmen, now I will reverse it.)

“Babaliktarin ko at itotoon ko naman sa ating mga magsasaka sa ating mga manggagawa, sila ang gagamitin kong motor sa pagbangon ng ating ekonomiya,” he added.

(I will turn it around and I will focus on our farmers and our workers, they are the ones I will use as the motor for the recovery of our economy.)

He said that if he wins the presidency, his first 100 days would be about producing food for the people and raising funds to further develop the agriculture sector.

He also said he would repeal the rice tariffication law and increase the budget for research and development to improve the yield of farmers.

Manufacturing industry

“Kasabay niyan ‘yung pagbubukas ulit ng ating sektor ng manupaktura, magkaroon tayo ng sariling industriya,” de Guzman said.

(Simultaneously, we will reopen our manufacturing sector, we will have our own industry.)

“Hindi pwedeng lahat ng ating pangangailangan, na yaring produkta ay ating iniimport ng napakamahal at ‘yung ating mga raw materials na ginagamit sa paglikha ng yaring produkta, tulad ng mga core metal ay ibebenta natin ng napakamura,” he added.

(It cannot be that all of our needs, the manufactured products are being imported which is too costly and the raw materials we use to create products, such as core metal, we sell at a very cheap price.)

He explained that this is also the main reason why the country always faces deficits, in which the income from exporting is small while the cost of importing manufactured products is much bigger. “To fill the deficit, we borrow money,” de Guzman said.

“Kaya importante ‘yung manupaktura. Naniniwala ako na hindi pwedeng umunlad ang isang bansa na lahat ng yaring produktong kailangan niya ay iniimport, gayong tayo sa Pilipinas napakarami nating raw materials na gagamitin,” he added.

(So manufacturing is important. I believe that a country cannot develop if all the manufactured products it needs are imported, especially since we are in the Philippines where we have so many raw materials that we can use.)

He also vowed to support the country’s health care workers by increasing their wages and benefits.

“‘Yung dagdag na sahod and benepisyo, atsaka ‘yung proteksyon ‘yung special risk allowance na hinihingi nila, iprovide natin sa kanila para hindi sila maengganyo na tumanggap ng offer sa ibang bansa, na nagaalok ng mas malaking sweldo,” de Guzman said.

(The pay increase and additional benefits, and their protection, the special risk allowance they are asking for, we will provide it to them so that they will not be lured to accept offers from other countries that give bigger salaries.)

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