Viral sensation and pares eatery owner Diwata is setting sights on a congressional seat, formalizing his bid with the filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday.

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Jose Miguel Dumaual

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

MANILA &mdash; (UPDATED) Viral sensation and pares eatery owner Diwata set sights on a congressional seat and formalized his bid with the filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday.Diwata, whose real name is Deo Balbuena, is the fourth nominee of Vendors party-list, which he said advocates for the rights and interests of street vendors.&quot;Base sa mga karanasan ko &mdash; siguro maraming nakakakita sa social media kung paano ako makipaglaban bilang isang vendor &mdash; hindi ako nag-atubili na sumama sa kanila (party-list) para ipaglaban ang karapatan ng bawat maninindang Pilipino,&quot; he said.Citing his personal experience, Diwata said he knows firsthand the issues faced by street vendors, including racing a capital and leasing or finding a space to do business. These, he said, are central to the causes his party-list aims to fight for.&quot;Ang intensyon lang namin ay mabuhay nang patas na ito lang ang kaya naming gawin,&quot; he said.Diwata, who recently joined showbiz via the primetime hit &quot;Batang Quiapo,&quot; expressed confidence he can &quot;divide-divide&quot; his time between a potential House stint and his growing pares business.&quot;Siyempre, magpo-focus tayo sa party-list, pero hindi naman puwedeng pabayaan ko rin ang tindahan ko,&quot; he said candidly.Diwata is also not discounting the possibility of treating the House of Representatives, if he becomes a member, to &quot;unli-rice and free soft drinks&quot; to go with his signature pares. &quot;Ay, bakit hindi kung gusto nila!&quot; he quipped. BACKED BY VENDORSDiwata&#39;s filing of was cheered on by supporters at the Quirino Grandstand, among them Lucila Lacuna Damscao, president of Mutya ng Pasig Mega Market Vendors Federation Inc.&quot;Supporter po ako kasi vendor ako. Vendors kami sa Pasig. Naiintindihan ko na layunin ng Vendors [party-list] na maunawaan ang problema ng mga vendors. Nakikita niyo malaki ang magiging tulong at suporta niyan sa mga maliliit na manininda,&quot; she said.&quot;Siyempre &#39;yung mga iligal, kasama rin namin &#39;yan. Baka ang Vendors may magawa sa pagpupwestuhan ng mga illegal vendors kamukha ni Diwata malaki ang naging tulong. Kaya umaasa &#39;yung maliliit na manininda na matulungan rin ng Vendors party-list,&quot; Damasco added.Balbuena expressed gratitude his fellow vendors for backing his bid for a seat in Congress.Asked about his lack of political experience, Diwata answered: &quot;Hayaan niyo muna ako, bigyan ng pagkakataon, &#39;diba? Huwag niyo akong husgahan. Gagawin ko ang lahat ng kakayahan ko para matulungan ang lahat ng vendors.&quot;

&quot;Ang intensyon lang namin ay mabuhay nang patas na ito lang ang kaya naming gawin,&quot; he said.Diwata, who recently joined showbiz via the primetime hit &quot;Batang Quiapo,&quot; expressed confidence he can &quot;divide-divide&quot; his time between a potential House stint and his growing pares business.&quot;Siyempre, magpo-focus tayo sa party-list, pero hindi naman puwedeng pabayaan ko rin ang tindahan ko,&quot; he said candidly.Diwata is also not discounting the possibility of treating the House of Representatives, if he becomes a member, to &quot;unli-rice and free soft drinks&quot; to go with his signature pares. &quot;Ay, bakit hindi kung gusto nila!&quot; he quipped. BACKED BY VENDORSDiwata&#39;s filing of was cheered on by supporters at the Quirino Grandstand, among them Lucila Lacuna Damscao, president of Mutya ng Pasig Mega Market Vendors Federation Inc.&quot;Supporter po ako kasi vendor ako. Vendors kami sa Pasig. Naiintindihan ko na layunin ng Vendors [party-list] na maunawaan ang problema ng mga vendors. Nakikita niyo malaki ang magiging tulong at suporta niyan sa mga maliliit na manininda,&quot; she said.&quot;Siyempre &#39;yung mga iligal, kasama rin namin &#39;yan. Baka ang Vendors may magawa sa pagpupwestuhan ng mga illegal vendors kamukha ni Diwata malaki ang naging tulong. Kaya umaasa &#39;yung maliliit na manininda na matulungan rin ng Vendors party-list,&quot; Damasco added.Balbuena expressed gratitude his fellow vendors for backing his bid for a seat in Congress.Asked about his lack of political experience, Diwata answered: &quot;Hayaan niyo muna ako, bigyan ng pagkakataon, &#39;diba? Huwag niyo akong husgahan. Gagawin ko ang lahat ng kakayahan ko para matulungan ang lahat ng vendors.&quot;

&quot;Base sa mga karanasan ko &mdash; siguro maraming nakakakita sa social media kung paano ako makipaglaban bilang isang vendor &mdash; hindi ako nag-atubili na sumama sa kanila (party-list) para ipaglaban ang karapatan ng bawat maninindang Pilipino,&quot; he said.Citing his personal experience, Diwata said he knows firsthand the issues faced by street vendors, including racing a capital and leasing or finding a space to do business. These, he said, are central to the causes his party-list aims to fight for.

MANILA &mdash; (UPDATED) Viral sensation and pares eatery owner Diwata set sights on a congressional seat and formalized his bid with the filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday.Diwata, whose real name is Deo Balbuena, is the fourth nominee of Vendors party-list, which he said advocates for the rights and interests of street vendors.

Viral sensation and pares eatery owner Diwata is setting sights on a congressional seat, formalizing his bid with the filing of his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Wednesday.

'Unli-rice' at Batasan? Pares sensation Diwata seeks congressional seat | ABS-CBN News

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'Unli-rice' at Batasan? Pares sensation Diwata seeks congressional seat

'Unli-rice' at Batasan? Pares sensation Diwata seeks congressional seat