Diwata Pares owner seeks House seat as party-list’s 4th nominee

Manila: Pares joint owner and viral Internet personality Deo 'Diwata' Balbuena formalized his bid for a congressional seat as the fourth nominee of the Vendors Party-list. Balbuena, together with the other nominees, filed the group's certificate of nomination - certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN) before the Commission on Elections at the Manila Hotel Tent City on Wednesday. Speaking for the group, he said the party-list wants to advance the rights and become the voice of small business owners, especially street vendors. 'Andito kami ngayon para maging boses sa lahat ng mga vendors para magtulong-tulong kami na maiangat ang vendors sa Pilipinas (We are here to uplift the life and become a voice for all the vendors across the Philippines),' he said. The allocated seats for party-list groups in the next elections is 63, with the maximum number per group limited to only three. Should he ever get seated as a congressman, Balbuena said he would introduce a law that would streamline the registrati on and processing of permits for vendors. The party-list, he said, would also establish a cooperative that specially caters to small business owners like him. Asked how he will divide his time should he end up with a seat, Balbuena said, 'Siyempre magpo-focus tayo sa party-list pero hindi naman puwdeng pabayaan ko rin 'yong tindahan (Of course, we will focus on the party-list but we cannot neglect the store).' Source: Philippines News Agency