As the country celebrates Teacher's Day, a retired educator filed a certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator.

Tired of seeing the same old faces, Ernesto Balite said this prompted him to try his luck in the Senate.

"Ang nagbigay po sakin ng inspirasyon para tumakbo ay ito pong nangyayari sa ating kapaligiran, sa ating lipunan. Masyado na pong talamak ang korapsyon at talaga pong kawawa ang 120 million Filipinos (What inspired me to run is with what's happening to our country. Corruption is too rampant and 120 million Filipinos are really poor)," Balite told the press.

"Ito pong nalalabing taon ng aking buhay, nilalaan ko na po sa ating mga kababayan... Yung nagtulak sa akin tumakbo, puro sila na lamang po. Tayo naman (These remaining years of my life, I want to dedicate it to my countryment... What also pushed me is I'm tired of seeing old faces. I want new faces)," he added.

As opposed to billionaire candidates, Balite quipped he is just "barya-naryo," that is why he wants impoverished candidates like him to have a fighting chance too.

"Yung mga kandidatong katulad ko, gusto ko pong magkaroon kami ng pagkakataong makalaban (I hope candidates like me could also be given a chance to compete)," he added.

Balite, who used to teach in schools in Bulacan and Tondo, admitted he used to sell goods after class just to make ends meet.

"Para mapagdugtog natin yung kakulangan sa pangangailangan (So I could make up for my low wage)," he added.

He also decried the classroom shortage in the country.

"Problema po sa pagtuturo yung kakulangan sa silid-aralan. Nung nagtuturo ako sa Norzagaray, Bulacan, tatlong pantok ang tinatawid ko. Lingguhan po kami umuwi dahil napakalayo po (The lack of classrooms is a problem in teaching. When I was teaching in Norzagaray, Bulacan, I had to cross three apexes. I go home weekly because it's really far)," he added.