Roman Romulo files COC for senator, declares support for Grace Poe

Pasig Representative Roman Romulo on Wednesday announced that he will run for senator in the 2016 elections and declared his support for the presidential run of Sen. Grace Poe.

Romulo, who was accompanied by his wife TV personality and former Valenzuela City councilor Shalani Soledad, said he will run as independent in next year’s polls.

“Ako po ay nag-file bilang senador, ako po ay independyente, at ang sinusuportahan ko pong kandidato ay si Sen. Grace Poe,” Romulo told the media after filing his certificate of candidacy at the Commission on Elections headquarters in Intramuros, Manila.

(I filed my [COC] for senator, I am independent, and I support the candidacy of Sen. Grace Poe.)

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Romulo said he aims to create a “strong middle class” by promoting education and lowering income tax rates.

“Para mangyari po iyon, kailangan po ay dalawang bagay—edukasyon para masigurado natin na mas maraming Pilipino ang makapasok at makapagtapos ng kolehiyo, at pangalawa po, pagpapatuloy po natin yung laban natin para babaan ang buwis para sa middle and low income earners,” Romulo said.

(For that to happen, two things are necessary—education to ensure that more Filipinos will enter and finish college, and secondly, we will continue the fight to lower the tax of middle and low income earners.)

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The congressman also expressed support for the passage of the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill.

“Isa po ako sa mga naniniwala na dapat ipasa na ang FOI bill para yung transparency po, mabantayan po natin ang mga transaksyon sa gobyerno,” he said.

(I am one of those who believe that FOI bill should be passed for transparency, so we can guard the transactions of the government.) Yuji Vincent Gonzales/RAM