Labor leader pushes for full reforms in presidential bid

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

The name Leodegario “Leody” De Guzman came into the spotlight in 2019 as a Senate bet with laborers’ rights and welfare at the center of his candidacy given his experience of more than 30 years as a labor leader.

De Guzman started his leadership journey as a coalition leader with the “Justice for Aquino, Justice for All” in 1983 in the wake of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr’s assassination.

He graduated with a degree in Customs Administration from PMI Colleges at around the same time.

As a labor leader, he began as union leader at Aris Philippines Inc., a large factory producing and exporting leather gloves where he had been working through college.

Since then, he had been involved with various labor organizations, including the Alliance of Workers in Pasig, the Kilusang Mayo Uno, the Partido ng Manggagawa where he was a founding member, and the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino where he currently serves as chairperson.

The socialist labor leader also sits on the panels of the International Council of International Center for Labor Solidarity and the Asia Regional Organization of Bank, Insurance and Finance Unions.

In 2019, his platforms and proposals were popular with activists and supporters, but he did not get close to the Magic 12, clinching only more than 800,000 votes.

But that did not deter De Guzman, who returns to the 2022 election, this time running for president under the socialist Partido Lakas ng Masa.

The candidate had an exclusive interview with Daily Guardian via Zoom to talk about his candidacy, his platforms, and his visions for the presidency.

De Guzman said he ran because he wanted to be the “new face” who would bring genuine change to Malacañang for the people, saying that this election’s candidates have said the same things as those in previous elections.

He added that he wants to “break the notion” of presidents and vice presidents almost exclusively being from the upper social classes.

“Nothing has changed in the lives of Filipinos, especially the workers, farmers, and fishers. If life had been difficult then, it seems more difficult now. That is the reason why I took the challenge to be a new face and have new things to say. The exact words, and not motherhood statements,” De Guzman said.

During the filing of his certificate of candidacy on Oct 6, 2021, he said that he ran because the opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte had already been divided.

He said that aiming for the presidency would be more realistic for his platform than being in the Senate, where he thinks that he may get outnumbered on key policy proposals.

“In the Senate, I would only be one of the 24, I couldn’t do the changes I wish to do if I were alone. I may propose, but then I would be outvoted by the majority, who are also millionaires and billionaires. I chose to run for president because I would have more power to push for my programs,” he explained.

As to his presidential rivals, he said that the one who may be closest to him would be Vice President Leni Robredo because of her consistent opposition to President Rodrigo Duterte and to prevent the late deposed dictator’s son, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. from returning to power.

“[Robredo] has been consistent in countering Duterte, because unlike her, everyone else [in the presidential race] have been enablers [of Duterte] and only acted in opposition since it’s election season but have been Duterte’s teammates and co-conspirators in implementing his violent and anti-poor policies and sinking the country into debt. I think Leni and I could help each other in going against Duterte and to prevent [Marcos Jr.] from gaining power,” he stated.

He also explained one of his earlier statements suggesting he would withdraw in favor of Robredo, saying that he was not completely willing to stand down in favor of another candidate but only wishes for any candidate, including Robredo, to carry his worker-centric platform.

“I was just expressing my stand in giving importance to my agenda for workers and the people, compared to wanting to win [the presidency]. Giving importance to addressing the issues is more important for me, so I explained that it would be okay for me if [Robredo] or any other candidate carried it except for Duterte and Marcos. Those who I spoke to blew it in [Robredo’s] direction. But it’s already there,” he said.

“If [Robredo] stands up against contractualization, erase the provincial [minimum wage] rates and imposing only a national minimum wage, if she reverses public utilities and roads to be owned by the government, if she reforms the system of taxation which should be over income and not goods and services, if she stops the automatic debt appropriation law, we could agree on something. I no longer have reason to run if she will carry those things,” he added.

FOCUS ON LABOR RIGHTS AND WELFARE

While his key proposals lean heavily towards laborers, De Guzman said his platforms are geared towards everyone in the country, and not just a few, based on his campaign tagline “Manggagawa Naman” (This time, the workers).

He and his vice-presidential candidate Walden Bello revealed their “TKO” (Trabaho, Kalusugan, Oportunidad) plan of action on Saturday, Oct 23, which include a P750 minimum wage, unemployment benefits, end to contractualization, increased health care support, wealth taxes, marriage equality, resuming peace talks, and reviewing history books to counter historical revisionism.

He cited the unhindered increase in the prices of goods and services, unresolved issues surrounding workers’ contractualization, farmers’ low income and lack of support toward them, and the recent oil price hikes.

As to labor rights, his policy proposals are geared towards institutionalizing regularization, ending contractualization, and guaranteeing wage increases.

He emphasized on the guarantee of full hazard pay as well increased wages and benefits for medical frontliners, who he noted as “those who hold the health and safety of the entire country”.

He also called for greater support for farmers and fisherfolk so they can increase their production, which would, in turn, decrease prices and lessen the country’s dependency on imported food products.

“Billionaire politicians haven’t proven anything with the change of leadership. Prices are still going up. Workers couldn’t resolve contractualization. Farmers are still knee-deep in the mud of poverty and have been abandoned, that’s why even garlic, ginger, and onions are being imported. It should be laborers this time [in government] so we could have a government of the people and not just a few,” he said.

“My focus is on workers because around 80 to 90 percent of our population consists of workers. It’s not just factory workers I’m talking about, this also includes vendors, farm workers tilling others’ farmlands, call center agents, government workers, engineers, and others. They are all workers. All those who are receiving wages, we consider as workers.”

He also spoke about his environmental platform, which focuses on climate change and increased use of renewable energy.

He added that the inclusion of environmentalists Roy Cabonegro and David D’angelo in his senatorial line-up was also part of his commitment.

“Malacañang has promised to shift to renewable energy from fossil fuels like coal which is the dirtiest source of energy in the world. Renewable energy in this sense should be controlled by the people and not by big corporations,” he shared.

As to foreign policy, De Guzman said that one of his key actions was to implement the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on the West Philippine Sea.

He would encourage a “joint development” between countries surrounding the West Philippine Sea, for the area which would be outside of countries’ respective territorial claims.

He also cited ending military agreements with the United States of America, including the Visiting Forces Agreement and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, among others, which he believes are unfair to the Philippines’ sovereignty.

“We need to use the [2016 ruling] not to go to war with China, but to seek support from other countries who believe in the decision, to oblige China to follow the ruling. What would come out of the claims of Vietnam, Taiwan, and China, is that there would be unity for a joint project or joint development for the benefit of all surrounding countries, so that there would be no claim by one country, not by Philippines, not by China, not by Vietnam, (sic) for the benefit of all peoples,” he said.

On the topic of defense, he mentioned his proposal to scrap the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) and divert its funds to increase medical frontliners’ wages.

“I’m not in favor of the NTF-ELCAC because it’s only designated to chase down activists and progressives, releasing fake news, and threats. I don’t agree with governing by threats. Their P40-billion [2022] budget. If we can save that, we could just give that to the frontliners in hospitals, for their benefits and the security of their wages,” he said.

Picking up from assisting medical frontliners, he added that the focus of the government should squarely be on ending the pandemic.

He suggested placing infectious disease and other health experts at the top of the National Task Force against COVID-19, and hiring more health and non-health personnel for mass testing, mass vaccinations, and contact tracing activities.

“[The COVID-19 pandemic] should be the main focus of the government and not ‘Build, Build, Build’. We need to adjust. Can we spare some of the money borrowed from ‘Build, Build, Build’ first to combat COVID so that all of the necessary strategies, including contact tracing and mass testing. Where is the most number of cases right now? Then, we do contact tracing,” he added.