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IWD 2022: Leody De Guzman, Walden Bello pledge 'cultural liberation' of women, LGBT

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Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Photo by Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/03/08/leody-de-guzman-walden-bello.jpg"/><figcaption>Photo by Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Partido Lakas ng Masa standard-bearers Leody de Guzman and Walden Bello on Tuesday, International Women&#x27;s Day, pledged “cultural liberation” of women as part of their 2022 elections campaign platform.De Guzman and Bello spoke at a protest action organized by women’s and progressive groups at the Quezon City Hall, outlining three measures aimed at protecting women’s and LGBT rights: legalizing divorce and same-sex marriage, as well as decriminalizing abortion.“Alam naman natin, lahat ng kandidato ayaw magsalita tungkol sa divorce. Ayaw magsalita tungkol sa same-sex marriage. Ayaw magsalita tungkol sa abortion. Kasi natatakot sila na baka mamaya, merong mga vested interests, ayaw nila yung mga position nila. Kami lang talaga ang tandem that will speak for the measures that we need,” Bello told the media on the sidelines of the event.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/25/22/marcos-jr-says-abortion-should-be-allowed-in-rape-incest">Marcos Jr. says abortion should be allowed in rape, incest</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/27/22/isko-not-ok-with-abortion-even-for-raped-women">‘Life is life’: Isko not OK with abortion, even for raped women</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/02/22/robredo-open-to-hear-divergent-voices-on-abortion-divorce-death-penalty">Robredo open to hear &#x27;divergent voices&#x27; on abortion, divorce, death penalty</a></li></ul>“Kasi alam niyo, kailangan na natin dalhin ang Pilipinas mula sa 17th century, yung panahon ng mga prayle. Dalhin na natin sa 21st century. Di na maaaring mananatili tayo sa panahon ng mga prayle. Ito ho yung cultural liberation that yung programa namin ni Ka Leody is promising, aside from yung political and economic measures,” he explained.Bello said it is time to free women from the bondage of loveless marriages, while removing the criminal liability for abortion will encourage women to seek safer measures and avoid unnecessary deaths due to underground procedures. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/02/14/22/in-catholic-forum-ka-leody-stands-by-views-on-divorce-other-issues">In Catholic forum, Ka Leody stands by views in favor of divorce, same-sex marriage, decriminalizing abortion</a></li></ul>The vice presidential bet said that around 1,000 out of the 600,000 women who go through abortion die each year.Bello laments that while the Reproductive Health Bill, which he co-authored, was passed into law, it has yet to be fully implemented since 2013 due to opposition from the Catholic Church.He said it is time for women to have access to contraceptives.“We cannot have Catholic bishops, all-male, determining the fate of the woman. The woman must take her fate into her own hands,” he said.De Guzman, for his part, reiterated his support for same-sex marriage He confirmed his son Dexter’s statement last night, in an interview with Boy Abunda, that the labor leader was very supportive of him being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community that he didn’t even have to come out to his father and didn’t feel any discrimination from his family and friends. De Guzman said he learned to respect individual sexual orientation and gender identity while working at a factory.“Talagang dapat irespeto. At huwag i-discriminate yung karapatan ng mga LGBTQ community, dahil tao sila. Yun ang feeling nila…Kilalanin na mayroong ikatlong seksyon ng ating pagkatao na may mga LGBTQI na kailangang irespeto sila at kabigin sa ating lipunan para maging bahagi sa pag-unlad,” he said.“Kasi marami sa kanila (may) talento, marami sa kanila, skilled. At wala naman silang kabulastugan na ginagawa. Mas loko pa nga yung mga nasa gobyerno na puro mga magnanakaw. At walang ganoong character ang ating mga LGBTQ,&quot; he added.&quot;Ang dapat sumpain at dapat i-discriminate, yung mga trapo, dynastiya at magnanakaw sa gobyerno. Yan ang dapat i-discriminate at &#x27;di bigyan ng pagkakataon na makapuwesto pa dahil anong klaseng ugali ang kanilang ipapalaganap sa ating mga mamamayan kung ganoon ang kanilang record. Karamihan sa kanila’y akusado sa pagnanakaw.”The presidential candidate also expressed his support for the law raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old.“Dapat ay ilagay natin doon sa edad na nakakaintindi na ng sexuality. Nakakaintindi na ng buhay ng tao. At nakakaintindi na ng usapin sa lipunan. Para nang sa ganoon yung kanilang pagsasama, ay hindi naka-center lamang doon sa kanilang sarili. Kundi sa pagpapayabong pa ng kulturang Pilipino at ng pagpapaunlad ng ating kabuhayan,” De Guzman said.Senatorial candidates Luke Espiritu and David D’Angelo also attended the protest action, along with some 300 members of Oriang, Partido Lakas ng Masa, Sanlakas and Bukluran ng mga Manggagawang Pilipino.The group marched around the Elliptical Circle before boarding some vehicles for a motorcade.De Guzman, Bello and Espiritu are set to begin this Friday multi-city visits in Mindanao beginning in Ozamiz City all the way to Davao City.<div> RELATED VIDEO:</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1824893" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Partido Lakas ng Masa standard-bearers Leody de Guzman and Walden Bello on Tuesday, International Women's Day, pledged “cultural liberation” of women as part of their 2022 elections campaign platform.

IWD 2022: Leody De Guzman, Walden Bello pledge 'cultural liberation' of women, LGBT

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IWD 2022: Leody De Guzman, Walden Bello pledge 'cultural liberation' of women, LGBT

Mike Navallo,

ABS-CBN News

Published March 08, 2022 06:09 PM PHT

Read More:

Halalan 2022

2022 elections

Leody de Guzman

Walden Bello

elections

Partido Lakas ng Masa

women's rights

LGBT

LGBT rights

divorce

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