Partido Lakas ng Masa (PLM) presidential bet Leodegario "Ka Leody" de Guzman mocked politicians, including his rivals in the Palace race, during his campaign kickoff on Tuesday night, Feb. 8 in Quezon City.
According to De Guzman, such politicians resort to distracting the voting population with gimmicks such as dancing and giving away freebies instead of tackling the hard issues.
"Niloloko nanaman tayo ng mga pulitiko tuwing halalan. Para makuha ang aking boto, tayo ay sinasayawan, inaaliw, binibigyan ng t-shirt, pinapakain, binibigyan ng pamasahe at pinapasaya ng kanilang mga inarkilang artista (Politicians are trying to trick us again like in every elections. In order to get our votes, they dance, comfort us; give us free t-shirts, food, and fare; and entertain us with their rented showbiz personalities)," he said in his proclamation speech.
De Guzman claimed to know the reason why: "Sapagkat hindi nila kayang talakayin o kayang sabihin sa harap natin yung ating problema (It's because they can't discuss or tell to our face the problem that we have)."
"Ang gusto lamang nila ay makaupo sa pwesto, makaupo sa Malacañang (All they want is to assume a seat of power, to sit in Malacañang)," added the "working class" Palace aspirant.
"Pero yung problema natin na mataas na presyo , kawalan ng trabaho, kontraktuwalisasyon, mababang sahod, walang pabahay, hindi nila problema yan (But as to our problems on the high prices of goods, lack of jobs, contractualization, meager salaries, lack of housing, those aren't their problems)," he said, referring to the traditional politicians.
"Iba ang problema ng mga mayayaman sa mahihirap...marami silang pera...Hindi nila problema ang problema natin (The problems of the rich are different from those of the poor...they have a lot of money...They don't worry about our problems)," De Guzman further told his supporters who gathered at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani.
He assailed the government as being one that favors the capitalists. He said this is why capitalists in society continue to get rich, while poor people continue to get poor.
"Kaya ang makalulutas lamang sa ating problema ay tayo mismo. Walang iba, tayo mismo ang makalulutas sa ating problema (That's why the only ones who can solve our problems are us. There's nobody else, only we can solve our problems)," De Guzman said.