Castro says she's proud to be a leftist

House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro said she is a proud activist who fights for reforms and not an armed rebel.

Castro made the response when asked about being linked to the New People's Army (NPA) by the military and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Mula nung estudyante ako ay aktibista rin ako, katulad ni [former Bayan Muna] Congressman Teddy Casiño. Pinaglalaban natin ang tunay na pagbabago sa edukasyon, sa sistema ng edukasyon, at sa sistema ng ating pamahalaan. Pero hindi as member ng CPP (Communist Party of the Philippines), NPA, or whatever,” Castro said during the Tanong ng Bayan: The GMA Senatorial Face-Off 2025.

(Since I was a student, I was an activist like former Congressman Casiño. We are fighting for reforms in education and the government, but I am not a member of the CPP, NPA or whatever.)

“Parati na lang ‘yan, kung ikaw ay nagsasalita ng against sa posisyon ng gobyerno, ay itinuturing kang Red (communist) o itinuturing kang kaliwa. So, parang nakasanayan ko na rin yan. Kaya ako, patuloy ‘yung ating ginagawa [sa Kongreso], lalong-lalo na doon sa pagsasabatas ng mga kinakailangan ng ating mga guro sa education sector at sa mga issue rin ng mamamayan. Iyang mga issue na 'yan, kinasanayan ko na 'yan, at ako ay proud left," Castro added.

(Duterte is always like that, going around telling people that if you are against the government’s policy, you are called Red of leftist. I am used to it, and I am a proud leftist. I persevere in fighting for the causes I believe in, especially in the education sector and in finding solutions to the problems of our people.)

Castro then said that instead of taking the words of the military and former President Duterte, the public should consider her track record as a legislator such as her strong opposition to the misuse of confidential funds.

It was also Castro who likened Vice President Sara Duterte to a squid spitting black ink when cornered when the Vice President refused to defend her office’s then-proposed P2.3 billion budget for 2025. 

“Ito po yung dadalhin natin sa Senado para labanan din po ‘yung maling paggamit o ‘yung korapsyon sa gobyerno. ‘Yun po ang aking ipagmamalaki sa Senado,” Castro said.

(These are the fights we are going to bring to the Senate: the fight against misuse of public funds and against corruption, and I am proud of having those causes to fight for.)

“Magsisilbing boses ng mga guro sa Senado, tuturuan ng leksyon ang mga kurap at abusado sa gobyerno,” Castro added.

(I will be the teachers’ voice in the Senate and I will teach those corrupt in government a lesson.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News