Leody De Guzman appeals to voters: ‘Yakapin ang mga kandidatong kauri natin’

Labor leader and presidential aspirant Leody De Guzman on Tuesday appealed to the public to vote for candidates who are just "like them," or those who share the sentiments of workers.

"Kumbinisihin natin ang ating mga kababayan, na ang pagbabago ay wala sa mga kumakandidatong trapo, dinastiya, mayayaman. Ang pagbabago ay nasa atin mismo, kung tatangkilikin mismo, yayakapin ang mga kandidatong kauri natin, na may track record para sa ating interes, 'yun ang pag asa natin," De Guzman said at his speech at the Partido Lakas ng Masa proclamation rally at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani.

(Let us convince our countrymen that change will not come from traditional politicians, dynasties, or the rich. Change is in ourselves, if we accept and embrace candidates just like us, who have a track record working for our interests. That's our hope.)

De Guzman said that the crisis the country is facing is a product of the different governments promoting traditional politics.

"Kung ano man ang krisis ngayon may kontribusyon ang nagpalit-palit na goberyno. Sila ang dahilan bakit tayo umabot sa ganitong krisis. Pag hinayaan pa mga trapo, dynasty, elitista, ang Perlas ng Silangan magiging disyerto ng kahirapan," he said.

(Whatever our crisis is at the moment is a contribution of ever changing government. They were the reason why we reached this crisis. If we let traditional politicians, dynasties, the elitists, the Pearl of the Orient will become a dessert of poverty.) 

In his speech, De Guzman claimed that the governments from the time of Emilio Aguinaldo, Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino up to Rodrigo Duterte were "governments of billionaires," that favor the landlords and capitalists.

He said this is the reason why workers, especially farmers, could not have their share of the country's riches.

"Ang ating mga gobyerno ay hindi natin gobyerno. Ang ating gobyerno ay gobyerno ng mga kapitalista sa ating lipunan," De Guzman said.

(Our governments are not our government. Our government is a government of the capitalists in our society.)

De Guzman thus warned voters of voting for traditional politicians.

"Niloloko lamang tayo ng mga pulitiko tuwing halalan. Para makuha ang ating boto tayo ay sinasayawan, inaaliw, binibigyan ng tshirt, pinakakain, binibigyan ng pamasahe, at pinasasaya ng kanilang mga inarkilang artista. Sapagkat hindi nila kayang talakayin o kayang sabihin sa atin ang ating problema."

(Politicians only fool us during elections. To get our vote they dance, entertain, give t shirts, feed us, pay our fares, and provide entertainment with their hired artists. Because they cannot discuss or tell us our problem.)

Should he win president, De Guzman vowed to addressing the plight of the workers including contractualization low salary, and housing.

"Ang makalulutas lamang sa problema natin ay tayo mismo... Ngayong halalan, isang magandang pagkakataon para baguhin natin ang takbo ng politika, dapat politika ng masa. dapat ekonomiya ng masa, ng sambayanan, hindi ng iilan."

(The only one who can solve our problem is ourselves... This election, a good opportunity for us to change the course of politics should be politics of the masses. It should be an economy of the masses, of the people, not of the few.) —BM/NB, GMA News