Diwata Frustrated After Vendor’s Party List Fails to Secure Congressional Seat
DIWATA – The social media influencer has expressed his frustration after Vendor’s Party List failed to secure a congressional seat.
The popular street food vendor Deo Balbuena, more popularly known as Diwata, expressed his frustration after the Vendor’s Party List failed to win a seat in Congress. Diwata, who was the fourth nominee of the group, had high hopes for the party’s success in representing small vendors like himself.
However, the group only landed 110th out of 155 participating party lists based on the official data released by the Commission on Elections. The result left many supporters disheartened, especially those in the informal sector who hoped for better representation.
Following the election, Diwata became a target of online criticism. The internet star, known for his candid personality, didn’t hold back and fired back at some of his bashers online. He reminded them that he worked hard to rise from poverty and now enjoys a better life.
“Ang pagkatalo ng Vendor’s Partylist ay pagkatalo ng buong Pilipinas,” said Diwata.
The Vendor’s Party List had also faced controversy before the elections. A complaint was filed questioning the eligibility of their first nominee, Marilou Laurio Lipana, who was revealed to be a contractor and not a vendor.
The issue was raised by Kontra Daya, a watchdog group, arguing that the party failed to genuinely represent its claimed sector.
Diwata felt that the criticisms were unfair and pointed out that other party lists were not scrutinized as harshly. He believed the group was singled out despite its aim to help ordinary vendors.
The famous street vendor remains proud of their efforts and hopes for more opportunities to uplift small vendors in the future, whether in politics or through his growing influence online.
The social media users expressed their reactions to the issue:
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