Former Defense Secretary and National Security Adviser Norberto B. Gonzales is joining the presidential race in the May 2022 polls.
The chairperson of the Partido Demokratiko Sosyalista ng Pilipinas (PDSP) filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at Sofitel Tent in Pasay City.
In his speech after filing his COC, Gonzales explained why he decided to run for president.
"Ang hangarin po natin ay baguhin ang umiiral na pamumulitika dito sa bayan natin (Our desire is to change the existing politics in the country)," he said.
"Sa atin pong karanasan na halos isang dekada na paglilingkod sa gobyerno, nakita ko po ang pagiging importante ng pulitika at uri ng pulitiko na magpapatakbo ng bayan natin (In our experience of almost a decade of service to the government, I have seen the importance of politics and the type of politician who will run our country)," Gonzales added.
"Kaya nakikita ko naman po na maraming sasama sa akin na iikot sa bansa at sasabihin, sa palagay ko panahon na upang baguhin natin ang bulok na pamumulitika sa bayan natin(I believe many will join me in going around the country and say that it is already time to change the rotten politics in the country)," he said.
Earlier, the PDSP said the candidacy of Gonzales affirms their view of elections as opportunity for societal change.
In June of this year the PDSP issued its election policy for the May 2022 elections. The PDSP cited its more than fifty-year experience of working with the people as ample preparation to provide leadership and direction to achieve Philippine society's goals.
In a statement, PDSP defined its campaign as a presentation of a new and more politically mature approach to winning the nation's heart and its consent to govern. It is a strategy of mobilization and achieving national consensus to a clear program of government and vision of the future.