Leody de Guzman vows women, LGBTQ Cabinet appointments

Labor leader and presidential aspirant Leodegario “Ka Leody” de Guzman on Friday vowed that he would appoint women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) members to fill half of his Cabinet positions if he wins in Eleksyon 2022.

De Guzman said most women and LGBTQ members had much to contribute to nation-building, adding that this would also help in the struggle against discrimination.

“Iguguhit namin talaga yung pagtatalaga ng mga gabinete namin, kalahati nito ay pupunuin namin ng mga kababaihan at saka LGBTQ para sa ganon ma-maximize natin magkaroon ng pagkilala sa kakayanan nung mga kababaihan at LGBTQ na kababayan para hindi sila madidiscriminate,” the labor leader said during an online Pandesal forum.

(We will appoint Cabinet members, half of which we will fill with women and the LGBTQ members so that we can maximize their recognition and their abilities so that they will not be discriminated against.)

Meanwhile, his running mate vice presidential aspirant Walden Bello underscored that they would also fully implement the Reproductive Health Law and push for an effective divorce law to recognize the rights of women.

“We are committed to pushing a real and effective divorce law na talagang will recognize yung mga karapatan ng mga kababaihan (that will recognize women’s rights),” Bello said.

He said that they will also decriminalize abortion to prevent deaths from illegal abortion procedures.

“Idi-decreminalize namin yung abortion kasi andami hong namamatay sa ating bansa dahil sa very bad abortion procedures eh kailangan talagang mabigyan ng choice ang ating mga kababaihan dito sa area na ito, otherwise itong murder by abortion of women because of illegal, dirty, and ineffective methods is going to continue,” he said.

(We will decriminalize abortion because many people die in our country due to very bad abortion procedures. We need to give women a choice here in this area, otherwise, the murder by abortion of women because of illegal, dirty, and ineffective methods is going to continue.)

Bello added that these key initiatives would provide more protection and recognize the rights of women.

“Itong key initiatives na kailangang kailangan ng mga kababaihan, this will be start of real at pagtutugon doon sa mga pangangailangan ng ating mga kababaihan,” he added.

(These key initiatives that women need will be the start of addressing the needs of women.)

Both De Guzman and Bello are running under Laban ng Masa, a broader coalition of progressive groups. — DVM, GMA News