Ka Leody, Luke Espiritu seek dynasties’ downfall in Senate run

MANILA, Philippines – Socialist labor leaders Leody de Guzman and Luke Espiritu filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for senator on Friday, October 4, in a bid to beat political dynasties and traditional politicians.

De Guzman, widely known as “Ka Leody,” was the labor leader who ran for president in 2022 alongside former Akbayan representative Walden Bello under the Partido Lakas ng Masa banner. Lawyer Espiritu ran for the Senate in 2022 as well under De Guzman’s slate, but failed in his bid.

De Guzman, chairperson of labor rights group Buklurang Manggagawa ng Pilipino, finished the presidential race at 8th place with around 92,000 votes, while BMP president Espiritu ranked 34th among the senatorial bets with 3.43 million votes.

After their losses, the two continued to be active in the labor sector, and stood with fellow activists in fighting for higher wages, the end to contractualization, and for stronger freedom of association.

“Lumalakas ‘yung kilusang anti-dynasty. Nagsi-sink in na sa maraming mga mamamayan na wala talagang maaasahan ang taumbayan sa political dynasty,” said De Guzman.

(The anti-dynasty movement is growing. It is starting to sink in for many Filipinos that they cannot expect good things from political dynasties.)

De Guzman said that he was running again because “nothing has changed” since his last attempt to enter politics.

“Walang matinong batas na ginawa para resolbahin ang problema ng unemployment, ang problema ng kontraktuwalisasyon, ang demolisyon sa mga maralita, ang land-grabbing ng lupain ng mga katutubo — walang ni-resolve ang mga nagbabalikang pulitikong ito,” he said.

(There has been no sensible law that was passed to resolve problems in unemployment, contractualization, the demolition of the poor, land-grabbing of indigenous peoples — none of that has been resolved by these politicians who keep coming back.)

In doing things differently this time, De Guzman said that, even without victory, his 2022 run shed light on their progressive platform and agenda, and it was a “good start” that they could build on.

Espiritu said that Filipinos deserved a Senate that political dynasties and traditional politicians or “trapos” did not control. He said that he and De Guzman’s advantage against dynasties was their stand on issues and their ability to articulate them.

“We have spent our lives fighting for workers’ rights. Ipinaglalaban namin, may eleksiyon o wala, ang sahod ng manggagawa, ang kontraktuwalisasyon na iyan ay mawala na. Ipinaglalaban namin ang pabahay ng mga mahihirap, hanggang sa ipinaglalaban namin ‘yung mga solusyon sa mga problema nating kinakaharap na seryoso, tulad ng climate crisis,” said Espiritu.

(We have fought, whether there is an election or not, for workers’ wages, and for contractualization to end. We have fought for housing for the poor, and solutions to our serious problems, such as the climate crisis.)

‘New politics’

Espiritu said that part of the effort to beat dynasties at their own game was to harness the energy and advocacy from the youth that they had seen in the previous election.

“Nakita ko ‘yan sa mga Gen-Z at kabataan — na kapag Gen-Z at kabataan, hindi na sila pumapayag sa luma. Hindi na sila pumapayag sa katrapuhan. Hindi na sila pumapayag sa mga bastos. At gusto nila ng makabagong pulitika. May layer ng populasyon na gano’n, signipikante. In fact, naging movement ‘yan noong 2022. Nagkaroon ng pink tide, and I will speak to that movement,” he said.

(I saw it in the Gen-Z and the youth. The Gen-Z and youth no longer tolerate the old [politics]. They do not accept traditional politicians. They do not accept ill-mannered people. And they want new politics. There is a significant layer of our population like this. In fact, that was a movement in 2022. There was a pink tide, and I will speak to that movement.)

Espiritu appeared to be referring to the “pink” movement of former vice president Leni Robredo.

“I will speak to the better part of our society, not to the backward part, and I will strengthen that part,” he said, adding that he wanted to “merge” the movement of the workers and the youth to come up with genuine solutions to poverty.

De Guzman acknowledged that political machinery was embedded in the Philippine election system. Still, he said that they planned to have their campaign run on contributions from supporters and labor advocates.

Just like other opposition figures, the labor leaders’ Senate bids will be an uphill battle. Political dynasties and the ruling coalition remain dominant both in surveys and in historical results.

According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey on senatorial preferences conducted from September 14 to 23, dynastic names remain popular, with familiar names at the top 12 ranks, like former Senate president Tito Sotto, Senator Pia Cayetano, former president Rodrigo Duterte, real estate executive Camille Villar, and outgoing Makati Mayor Abby Binay. – Rappler.com