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

By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora, Philippine News Agency

PARES DIWATA. Deo Balbuena, popularly known as Diwata and owner of the Diwata Pares Overload, faces the press after his group, the Vendors Party-list, filed a certificate of nomination – certificate of acceptance of nomination (CON-CAN) at the Manila Hotel Tent City in Manila on Wednesday (Oct. 2, 2024). If he gets seated as a congressman, Balbuena said he would push for a streamlined registration of permits for vendors. (PNA photo by Avito Dalan)

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 registration 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).”