CABANATUAN CITY - Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer Isko Moreno Domagoso on Friday slammed camps who refer to the poor as "laylayan ng lipunan" (fringes of society), saying the term belittles those who have less in life.

"Anong tawag sa salitang mga mahihirap? Laylayan ng lipunan? Hindi kami laylayan, mahirap po kami," he said in a press conference here.

(What do they call the poor? Fringes of society? We are not in the lower part of society, we are just poor.)

"Kaya ang tawag ninyo samin ay laylayan kasi mababa ang tingin ninyo sa amin," he said.

(You call us the fringes because you think we are low.)

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Those who use the said term are coming from a privileged perspective, said Domagoso, who has repeatedly used the poverty card during his campaign. He was a garbage collector-turned-actor before entering politics. Domagoso now has a net worth of at least P70 million.

"Why change the words? To please the ears? Masosolusyunan ba natin 'yung hirap ng tao kapag tinawag mo siyang laylayan ng lipunan?" the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate asked.

(Can we solve poverty by calling the poor fringes of society?)

"Kapag tiningnan mo talaga, nasa ugali ng tao na yun na nagsasalita ng mababang uri ang mahihirap kasi mataas ang tingin nila sa sarili nila, mababa ang tingin nila sa atin," he said.

(When you look closely, the attitude of the person saying that thinks of the poor as a low kind because they think that they are higher than others.)

Domagoso did not mention any candidate, but Vice President Leni Robredo popularized the term "laylayan ng lipunan" (fringes of society) when she was running for vice president in 2016.

Domagoso's campaign manager Lito Banayo earlier said that their camp is targeting the "middle ground" and are not trying to woo voters from the camp of the Vice President.

• Isko targeting middle ground, not Leni voters: Banayo

In his campaign trail, the Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer has been presenting himself as an alternative candidate for those who are already fed up with the ruling political elite.

• Isko begins #Halalan2022 bid appealing to voters fed up with dynasties