Liza Maza
INQUIRER FILE PHOTO / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Liza Maza has worn many hats over her career in public service and activism — sometimes being part of the government and sometimes staunchly criticizing it — but it seems the 67-year-old former Gabriela party-list representative still believes that more work has to be done.
And in a program on Thursday, Maza announced that she will be running again for senator in the 2025 polls — a position that she vied for in 2010 but failed — to protest the continuing prevalence of corruption and rotten politics in the country.
“I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen things. The corruption and wanton greed. I witnessed how they consistently obstruct any pro-people initiative because, at its core, it serves the interests of the ruling elite. The system is really rotten,” Maza, who used to be the lead convener of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte, said in her speech.
“It’s the same thing happening all over again. All the past administrations have established neoliberal policies which only serve the interest of some,” she added.
Maza’s announcement means the Makabayan Coalition — the umbrella of progressive groups including the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives — now has four candidates for the 2025 midterm elections, including:
ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro
Gabriela party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas
Kilusang Mayo Uno Secretary General Jerome Adonis
READ: Gabriela party-list Rep. Brosas says she will run for senator in 2025
According to Maza, their candidacies will strive to end politics that leans towards populism, which she said usually goes without the actions needed to lift the country out of poverty.
“For every election the people are being lied to, candidates are playing cute and promise a lot of things that would only lead to people drowning in crisis. The Filipinos are so fed up with these things,” she said. “We will push for true agrarian reform, cooperativeness, and modernization of agriculture.”
“These things would ensure that the country’s wealth and the fruits of the economy will be distributed equally. We need a pro-Philippines and a pro-people policy and a politics of change. We need to prioritize the interests and the requests of the Filipino people,” she added.
Maza’s endorsers come from different sectors too: Migrante Hong Kong’s Dolores Balladares claimed that there was a consensus among overseas Filipino workers to back Maza’s Senate bid.
“That’s why when we knew that Liza Maza would run for senator, we OFWs quickly showed our united voice to support her, not only from us in the Asia Pacific but across the world,” she said.
Celia Veloso, mother of human trafficking victim Mary Jane Veloso who remains incarcerated in Indonesia, also believes her daughter has a chance of returning home if Maza lands a seat in the Senate
“When I heard the news that Liza Maza would run for the Senate, my spirits were lifted up. There is hope that Mary Jane returns. That’s why Liza, we will ensure that you will win,” Veloso said.
Brosas meanwhile said that Maza’s unparalleled “dedication to the cause of women’s rights and social justice” will be an asset for the Senate should she win in 2025.
“As a legislator, she was instrumental in the passage of significant laws such as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act (Anti-VAWC), and the Juvenile Justice Act, which continue to protect and uplift the marginalized sectors of our society,” Brosas said.
“This is a pivotal moment for us to rally behind candidates like Liza Maza, who have consistently championed the rights of women, workers, and the poor. We urge the Filipino women and the people to stand with us in supporting her candidacy and in resisting all forms of state repression,” she added. With reports from Ysabel Escalona, trainee