Welcome to Politixxx Today’s profile of presidential aspirants. This series aims to know better the personalities who are vying to be the country’s 17th president. It provides an opportunity for readers to scrutinize their political background and platforms on hot-button issues.
Leody De Guzman is running a long-shot campaign to be the next president, drawing support from labor leaders, activists and some progressive groups. While name recognition puts him at a disadvantage, he relies on his socialist policies that are badly needed, in his view, to reform the country long tethered to the ropes of corruption, greed and political dynasty.
Basic Information
Age: 62 years old
Birthday: July 25, 1959
Parents: No available information.
Educational Attainment:
High School: Naujan Academy (Occidental Mindoro)
College: PMI Colleges (BS Customs Administration; 1979-1983)
Spouse: Marieza Tolentino
Civil Status: Married
Children:
1. Olan De Guzman
2. Lei De Guzman
3. Dek De Guzman
Net Worth: No available information.
Political Affiliation: Partido Lakas ng Masa
Organizations
- Justice for Aquino, Justice for All (Coalition Leader, 1983)
- Aris Philippines Inc. (Union Leader, 1984)
- Alliance of Workers in Pasig (Organizer, 1984-1990)
- Kilusang Mayo Uno (Member, Regional Executive Council, NCR, 1990-1992)
- Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (Deputy Secretary General, 1993; Secretary General, 1996-2005; President, 2006-2018; Chairperson, 2018-present)
Platforms and Stand on Issues
| COVID-19 Pandemic | • Reverse President Duterte’s COVID-19 policies by installing medical experts in the national task force against COVID. • Immediate salary hike for healthcare and frontline workers. • Access to free and quality healthcare for all. • Additional aid for everyone and paid leave for workers who will contract the virus. |
| Economic Recovery | • PhP1-trillion economic recovery plan for public jobs generation, health stimulus and stimulus for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). • “Bagong Politika, Bagong Ekonomiya” platform that seeks to impose a ‘billionaire’s tax’ to the richest 250 families. • Limit excessive borrowing to fund the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program. • Impose a five-year debt moratorium and repeal a law that automatically allocates 5% of the national budget to pay debts. |
| Drug War Campaign | • Rejoin the International Criminal Court (ICC) and allow the chamber to investigate alleged crimes of humanity committed during Duterte’s drug war. |
| West Philippine Sea | • Collaborating with other countries to affirm the Philippines’s territorial right on the West Philippine Sea. • Open to peace talks with China for as long as the intentions are sincere. |
| Peace Talks With Communist Rebels | • Resumption of peace talks with communist rebels. • Abolition of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac). |
| Climate Change and the Environment | • Take a shift to renewable energy. • Abolish capitalism to take drastic climate action. |
| Infrastructure | • Building more and better public facilities such as libraries, parks, daycare centers and evacuation centers, among others, to reverse the privatization of public services. |
| Education | • No concrete educational policy yet but proposed building more public schools, libraries and daycare centers. |
| Agriculture | • Repeal of the Rice Tariffication Law because it caused a drop in local rice prices that affected local farmers. • Subsidies for farmers to attain food sovereignty. |
| Same-Sex Marriage and LGBTQ+ Rights | • Achieve gender equality and gender rights by legalizing same-sex marriage. |
| The ABS-CBN Franchise and Press Freedom | • Immediately grant ABS-CBN Corp. a broadcast franchise. • Put an end to media persecution and guarantee freedom of expression. |
| Divorce | • Pushes for the passage of a divorce law. |
| Labor Rights | • “Labor-First” policy by issuing an executive order ending contractualization and raising the minimum wage to PhP750 nationwide. • Unemployment benefits for displaced workers. • Implement a mass public employment program. • Dismantle manpower agencies so employers can be forced to directly hire workers. • Not in favor of the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers |
| Death Penalty | • In 2019, he said that he is against the reinstatement of the death penalty. |
| Political Dynasty | • Wants to dismantle political dynasties and allow the masses to directly participate in governance. |
| Marcos’s Martial Law | • De Guzman vows to retrieve the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth, amounting to PhP126 billion, to finance the COVID-19 response of the government. |
Business Interests
- Deplore Enterprises (Cainta, Rizal; family business)
Controversies
- Some netizens slammed De Guzman for alleged misogynistic remarks after he singled out the two female presidents, Cory Aquino and Gloria Arroyo, in arguing why the nation is in dire shape.
References
Antonio, J. and Navallo, M. (2021). “Labor, urban poor, environmental groups lead first motorcade for Leody De Guzman.” ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/11/08/21/sectoral-groups-lead-first-motorcade-for-leody-de-guzman.
Bacungan, V. (2019). “Stand up to China on April 9: opposition senatorial bets.” Vera Files. https://verafiles.org/articles/stand-china-april-9-opposition-senatorial-bets.
Bolledo, J. (2021). “Ka Leody-Bello platform: Higher wages, billionaire’s tax, mass murderers behind bars.” Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/ka-leody-de-guzman-walden-bello-tandem-plans-economy-politics-social-development-elections-2022.
Bolledo, J. (2021). “Ka Leody explains alleged misogynistic remarks against female presidents.” Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/leody-de-guzman-explains-alleged-misogynistic-remarks-against-female-presidents.
Bolledo, J. (2021). “Leody de Guzman also wants local probe into extrajudicial killings.” Rappler. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/leody-de-guzman-also-wants-local-probe-extrajudicial-killings.
“Candidate’s Profile: De Guzman, Ka Leody.” (2019). GMA News. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2019/candidate/22/leodigariodeguzman/.
De Guzman, Leodigario ‘Ka Leody’ (PARTIDO LAKAS NG MASA). (2019). UP Sa Halalan. https://halalan.up.edu.ph/de-guzman-leodigario-ka-leody-partido-lakas-ng-masa/.
Gregorio, X. (2021). “Wage hikes, price controls: Socialist coalition bares ambitious platform.” The Philippine Star. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/10/23/2136172/wage-hikes-price-controls-socialist-coalition-bares-ambitious-platform.
“Ka Leody-Walden Bello tandem eyes Marcos ill-gotten wealth to finance COVID-19 response.” (2021). CNN Philippines. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/10/23/Ka-Leody-Walden-Bello-tandem-eyes-Marcos-ill-gotten-wealth-to-finance-COVID-19-response.html.
Melsa, V. (2020). “Leody de Guzman biography, education, advocacy, background.” Kami. https://kami.com.ph/108821-leody-de-guzman-biography-education-advocacy-background.html.
Mendoza, J.E. (2021). “De Guzman-Bello tandem wants abortion decriminalized, backs divorce.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1505647/de-guzman-bello-tandem-wants-abortion-decriminalized-backs-divorce.
Navallo, M. (2021). “Ka Leody tututukan ang isyu ng kabuhayan, kalusugan, klima.” ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/03/21/ka-leody-tututukan-ang-isyu-ng-kabuhayan-kalusugan-klima.
Navallo, M. (2021). “Labor leader vows to reverse Duterte policies.” ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/10/29/21/labor-leader-vows-to-reverse-duterte-policies.
Sarao, Z. (2021). “Ka Leody: Reform political, electoral system to end vote-buying and patronage politics.” Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1507393/ka-leody-reform-political-electoral-system-to-end-vote-buying-and-patronage-politics.