{{Short description|Filipino unionist and labor rights activist}} {{Philippine name|Quitain|de Guzman}} {{BLP sources|date=April 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Leody de Guzman | image = Leody-de-Guzman-for-President.png | caption = De Guzman in a poster for President 2022 | birth_name = Leodegario Quitain de Guzman<ref>{{cite web |title=Candidate's Profile: Leodigario Quitain De Guzman |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/eleksyon2019/candidate/22/leodigariodeguzman/ |publisher=GMA News |access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|7|27}}<ref>{{cite news |title=2. DE GUZMAN, LEODY: PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE |url=https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/deguzman-leody.html |access-date=April 1, 2022 |work=Vote Pilipinas |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313043304/https://votepilipinas.com/candidate/deguzman-leody.html |archive-date=March 13, 2022}}</ref> | birth_place = Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines | alma_mater = PMI Colleges (BS) | occupation = Labor leader, activist | profession = Customs Broker | party = PLM (2018–present) | other_party = Sanlakas (until 2018)<br>Partido ng Manggagawa (2001)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nazareno|first1=Rocky|last2=Echavez|first2=Andrea T.|title='Rebellion' worries diplomats|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zqU2AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA20&article_id=1820,37607649|access-date=September 18, 2025|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|volume=16|issue=145|publisher=The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc.|date=May 4, 2001|pages=A1, A20}}</ref> | spouse = Marieza Tolentino | children = 3 }} '''Leodegario''' "'''Ka Leody'''" '''Quitain de Guzman''' ({{IPA|tl|ˈljodɪ de ɡusˈman}}; born July 25, 1959) is a Filipino socialist labor rights activist who ran for president in the 2022 Philippine presidential elections, under the Partido Lakas ng Masa. He is currently the chairperson of the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino, a socialist federation of militant trade unions. He unsuccessfully sought a seat in the 2019 senatorial elections.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Labor leader Leody de Guzman formalizes candidacy for president|url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1497935/labor-leader-leody-de-guzman-formalizes-candidacy-for-president/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1497935/labor-leader-leody-de-guzman-formalizes-candidacy-for-president/| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-17|newspaper=Philippine Daily Inquirer|date=October 6, 2021 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Labor leader Ka Leody to run for president in 2022|url=https://www.bworldonline.com/labor-leader-ka-leody-to-run-for-president-in-2022/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.bworldonline.com/labor-leader-ka-leody-to-run-for-president-in-2022/| archive-date=October 23, 2021|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=BusinessWorld|date=September 28, 2021 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Ka Leody De Guzman accepts nomination for president in 2022 from labor groups|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/28/21/ka-leody-de-guzman-accepts-nomination-for-president-in-2022|access-date=2021-10-17|website=ABS-CBN News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Labor rights advocate Leody de Guzman files COC for Halalan 2022 presidential bid|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/10/06/21/labor-rights-advocate-ka-leody-files-coc-for-presidency| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006183438/https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/10/06/21/labor-rights-advocate-ka-leody-files-coc-for-presidency| archive-date=October 6, 2021|access-date=October 17, 2021|website=ABS-CBN News|url-status=live|language=en}}</ref>
==Early life and career== De Guzman was born on July 25, 1959, in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, to Lorenzo Sason de Guzman and Dolores Atilano Quitain. He finished his Bachelor of Science in Customs Administration degree at the Philippine Maritime Institute,<ref name="kami-profile">{{Cite web|title=Leody de Guzman biography, education, advocacy, background|url=https://kami.com.ph/108821-leody-de-guzman-biography-education-advocacy-background.html| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://kami.com.ph/108821-leody-de-guzman-biography-education-advocacy-background.html| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-17|website=Kami|date=March 27, 2020 |language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=De Guzman, Leodigario "Ka Leody" (PARTIDO LAKAS NG MASA)|url=https://halalan.up.edu.ph/de-guzman-leodigario-ka-leody-partido-lakas-ng-masa| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190514154632/https://halalan.up.edu.ph/de-guzman-leodigario-ka-leody-partido-lakas-ng-masa/| archive-date=2019-05-14|access-date=2021-10-17|website=UP sa Halalan 2022|date=February 21, 2019 |language=en}}</ref> and worked at a leather gloves factory at Aris Philippines Inc. to support his family.
==Activism== De Guzman became involved in activism in the aftermath of the assassination of popular anti-Marcos figure Benigno Aquino Jr. Galvanized by the wave of pro-democratic, anti-Marcos opposition protests that ensued, he joined the "Tarlac to Tarmac" march as well as other protests. He led the Aris Philippines branch of the budding Justice for Aquino, Justice for All (JAJA) movement.
De Guzman also became involved in organizing the workers of the factory against the dominant union and would become an organizer for ''Alyansa ng mga Manggagawa sa Pasig'' (ALMAPAS), a major labor coalition, from 1984 to 1990.
De Guzman was elected to the regional executive council of the militant labor federation Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in 1991. However, because of increasing differences between KMU NCR and KMU national leadership, De Guzman joined other workers in forming an alternative labor federation, the Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP)<ref name="kami-profile" /> alongside labor leaders such as Romy Castillo, Filemon 'Ka Popoy' Lagman, and Victor Briz. He was elected deputy secretary general of BMP at its formation in 1993, serving until 1996.
In 1996, he was elected as general secretary, serving until 2005 when he became president of BMP until 2018. Since 2018, De Guzman has been chair of BMP. During this time, the BMP was active in organizing during discontent against the presidency of Joseph Estrada. During the impeachment trial of Estrada and subsequent EDSA 2, BMP and Sanlakas called for all elected officials to resign to pave the way for the overhaul of the country's political system.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Let the working class finance its own independent movement|url=http://www.oocities.org/bukluran/pr11-30.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415131930/http://www.oocities.org/bukluran/pr11-30.htm|archive-date=April 15, 2013|access-date=October 19, 2021|website=www.oocities.org|url-status=live}}</ref> The federation was also active against measures of later governments such as the 2006 state of emergency under the Arroyo administration and the war on drugs of the Duterte administration.
De Guzman is also currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the human rights non-governmental organization PhilRights and Bulig Visayas, another NGO for aiding calamity victims. He is also the current country representative of the International Council of the International Center for Labor Solidarity (ICLS) and vice president of the Asia Regional Organization of Bank, Insurance and Finance Union (AROBIFU).
==Political career== ===2016 House of Representatives bid=== In the 2016 Philippine House of Representatives party-list election, De Guzman participated in the legislative race as the first nominee of Sanlakas partylist.<ref>{{Cite web|date=March 13, 2016|title=Sanlakas says selective justice targets LP foes|url=https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer-1109/20160313/281642484277048|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018034310/https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/philippine-daily-inquirer-1109/20160313/281642484277048|archive-date=October 18, 2021|url-status=live|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=|publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|via=PressReader}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Sanlakas did not win any seats.
===2019 Senate bid=== In the 2019 Senate election, De Guzman ran as senator under Partido Lakas ng Masa on a platform of ending contractualization as well as the Mining Act of 1995. De Guzman formed the pro-worker Labor Win coalition for the elections with Neri Colmenares of Bayan Muna, Sonny Matula of the Workers’ Party, independent Allan Montaño, and Ernesto Arellano of ''Katipunan of Kamalayang Kayumanggi''. He was also endorsed by the Makabayan bloc for the senatorial elections.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Labor Senate bets: We have 'real credentials' to push for pro-poor policies|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/223566-labor-senate-bets-say-they-have-real-credentials-push-pro-poor-policies/|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/labor-senate-bets-say-they-have-real-credentials-push-pro-poor-policies|archive-date=October 23, 2021|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Rappler|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=PROFILE: Who is Ka Leody de Guzman?|url=https://ph.rappler.com/people/leodigario-de-guzman|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://ph.rappler.com/people/leodigario-de-guzman|archive-date=October 23, 2021|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=ph.rappler.com|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
De Guzman placed 38th of 62 candidates with 893,506 (2.17%) of the vote, and did not win a seat.
===2022 presidential campaign=== {{main|Leody de Guzman 2022 presidential campaign}} On September 28, 2021, De Guzman accepted the nomination of the Partido Lakas ng Masa and various progressive organizations to run for president. Later on October 6, De Guzman filed his certificate of candidacy for president, running on a platform of systemic change including labor issues such as raising minimum wage and abolishing contractualization.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News|date=September 28, 2021|title=Ka Leody De Guzman accepts nomination for president in 2022|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/28/21/ka-leody-de-guzman-accepts-nomination-for-president-in-2022|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=ABS-CBN News|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Labor leader Leody de Guzman files candidacy for president|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/leody-de-guzman-files-certificate-candidacy-president-2022/|archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/leody-de-guzman-files-certificate-candidacy-president-2022| archive-date=October 23, 2021|access-date=October 18, 2021|website=Rappler|date=October 6, 2021|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
Luke Espiritu, Roy Cabonegro, and David D'Angelo filed their candidacies under the party, while De Guzman also identified Teddy Baguilat, Chel Diokno, Bong Labog, Sonny Matula, Leila de Lima, Neri Colmenares, Samira Gutoc and Risa Hontiveros as his Senate bets in an endorsement that rejected "transactional politics".<ref>{{Cite web|author=RICHA NORIEGA, GMA News|title=Labor leader Leody De Guzman bares 9 senatorial bets for Eleksyon 2022|url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/807246/labor-leader-leody-de-guzman-bares-9-senatorial-bets-for-eleksyon-2022/story/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/807246/labor-leader-leody-de-guzman-bares-9-senatorial-bets-for-eleksyon-2022/story/| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-18|website=GMA News Online|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
=== 2025 Senate bid === In the 2025 Senate Election, De Guzman, along with Luke Espiritu, would file their candidates under Partido Lakas ng Masa on October 4, 2024,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Labor leaders de Guzman, Espiritu eye Senate seats {{!}} GMA News Online |url=https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/922635/labor-leaders-de-guzman-espiritu-eye-senate-seats/story/?amp |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=www.gmanetwork.com}}</ref> De Guzman would later lose the election, placing 34th and managing to gain 4,136,899 votes.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Comelec releases final senatorial ranking in the 2025 elections |url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/05/16/2443547/list-final-senatorial-ranking-2025-elections |access-date=2025-05-30 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref>
==Political positions== In the 2019 elections, De Guzman positioned himself as a member of the labor opposition within the Labor Win coalition. He proposed to end endo contractualization, abolish the Mining Act of 1995, and suspend the tax system under the TRAIN law. He also supported renewable energy and a review of existing deregulation laws. On social issues, De Guzman opposed the return of the death penalty, pushed for stipends for poor students and the implementation of a Universal Basic Income, and supported the legalization of divorce.<ref name="kami-profile" /><ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Positions on conservative issues set opposition bets apart|url=https://www.rappler.com/philippines/elections/229544-opposition-bets-differ-conservative-issues/| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/opposition-bets-differ-conservative-issues| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Rappler|language=en|url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
De Guzman also supported the legalization of medical marijuana, the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, divorce bill, abortion, and same-sex marriage in the Philippines. He was against passing constitutional change under the Duterte administration towards federalism, the lowering of criminal age of liability, the extension of Martial law in Mindanao, and the phenomenon of red-tagging against activists and unionists. He also called for an end to political dynasties in the country.
In 2021, De Guzman reiterated his previous political positions, and included other proposals such as the abolition of the NTF-ELCAC and the repeal of the Anti-Terrorism Law of 2020, among other measures that signaled a "violent regime" as part of a 25-point progressive agenda.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ka Leody to scrap NTF-ELCAC, seek repeal of anti-terrorism law if elected|url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/10/18/Ka-Leody-de-Guzman-NTF-ELCAC-anti-terrorism-law.html| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/10/18/Ka-Leody-de-Guzman-NTF-ELCAC-anti-terrorism-law.html| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-19|website=CNN Philippines|language=en-ph|url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=If elected, Ka Leody wants NTF-ELCAC scrapped, anti-terrorism law repealed|url=https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/10/18/2135045/if-elected-ka-leody-wants-ntf-elcac-scrapped-anti-terrorism-law-repealed| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2021/10/18/2135045/if-elected-ka-leody-wants-ntf-elcac-scrapped-anti-terrorism-law-repealed| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Philstar.com|url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
He believes that solid positions on the following issues are important if "unification talks" with fellow presidential candidate Vice President Leni Robredo were to be possible:<ref>{{Cite web|title=Ka Leody says he could have dropped presidential run had he aligned with Robredo during unity talks|url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/10/18/Ka-Leody-de-Guzman-withdraw-Leni-Robredo-president-2022-elections.html| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211023/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/10/18/Ka-Leody-de-Guzman-withdraw-Leni-Robredo-president-2022-elections.html| archive-date=2021-10-23|access-date=2021-10-19|website=CNN Philippines|language=en|url-status=live}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Leody De Guzman ready to support VP Leni's presidential bid if...|url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/12/8/de-guzman-robredo-presidential-bid.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209024412/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2021/12/8/de-guzman-robredo-presidential-bid.html|archive-date=2021-12-09|access-date=2022-01-23|website=CNN Philippines|language=en|url-status=dead}}{{cbignore}}</ref> *amending the rice tariffication law, *reviewing the military agreements with the U.S. government, *increasing prices of basic goods, *automatic debt appropriation, and *prioritization of labor affairs, including ending contractualization and increasing wages of workers.
==Personal life== Leody is married to Marieza Tolentino with three children: Prolan, Lea, and Dexter. He currently resides in Cainta, Rizal.<ref name="kami-profile" />
== Electoral history == {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;" |+ Electoral history of Leody de Guzman ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Year ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Office ! colspan="2" rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Party ! colspan="4" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Votes received ! rowspan="2" style="background:#eaecf0;" |Result |- ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |Total ! style="background:#eaecf0;" | % ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |{{abbr|2=Position|P}}. ! style="background:#eaecf0;" |Swing |- !2019 | rowspan="2" |Senator of the Philippines | rowspan="3" style="background:{{party color|Partido Lakas ng Masa}};" | | rowspan="3" | PLM |893,506 |1.89% |38th | {{n/a}} | {{Lost}} |- !2025 |4,136,899 |7.21% |34th | +5.32 | {{Lost}} |- !2022 |President of the Philippines |93,027 |0.17% |8th | {{n/a}} | {{Lost}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.facebook.com/KaLeodyDeGuzman/ Facebook Page] *{{commons category-inline}}
{{cbignore}}{{Candidates in the 2022 Philippine presidential election}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:de Guzman, Leody}} Category:1959 births Category:Living people Category:Filipino anti-fascists Category:Anti-imperialism in Asia Category:Asian democratic socialists Category:Candidates in the 2022 Philippine presidential election Category:Filipino socialists Category:Filipino trade union leaders Category:Filipino activists Category:Filipino activists for Palestinian solidarity Category:Filipino anti-corruption activists Category:Filipino anti-war activists Category:Filipino anti–nuclear power activists Category:Filipino anti-Zionists Category:Ilocano people Category:People from Cainta Category:PMI Colleges alumni Category:Politicians from Oriental Mindoro Category:Politicians from Rizal (province) Category:Partido Lakas ng Masa politicians