Update
MANILA, Philippines — Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque on Tuesday admitted he is thinking about running for senator in the 2022 national elections, but budget issues remain his biggest concern.
“Well patuloy pa rin po ang pagdadasal ko dahil nung 2019 nga po nagplano ako na mag-senador. Ako naman po ay nagkasakit at grabe po talaga yung impact sa akin ng disappointment na hindi ako nakatakbo,” Roque said in a press briefing when asked if he plans to run in the 2022 polls.
(I continue to pray because, in 2019, I planned to run as a senator but I fell sick and I was really disappointed that I was unable to run at the time.)
“So I continue to ponder and pray and although this, I will say, gustuhin man po natin dahil meron tayong unfinished agenda noong tayo po’y naging congressman ng 17th Congress, ang tanong po natin yung pondo kasi sa panahon ng COVID, napakahirap po talaga mag-raise ng pondo at kinakailangan ng napakalaking halaga para makatakbo at manalo sa senado,” he went on.
(So, I continue to ponder and pray. Although we want to run because of our unfinished agenda when I was a congressman in the 17th Congress, the question on funding remains because during the time of COVID, it’s hard to raise funds and a big amount is needed to run and win a Senate seat.)
Roque withdrew from the 2019 senatorial race due to health reasons.
He previously served as Kabayan party-list representative from 2016 to 2017.
Roque became Duterte’s spokesperson from 2017 to 2018 and reappointed in 2020.