Rosmar Tan: ‘God’s sign’ tells me to back out of Manila council run

Influencer and entrepreneur Rosemarie Tan Pamulaklakin shows a copy of her certificate of withdrawal for Manila City council post at the Commission on Elections’ headquarters in Manila on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. INQUIRER.net/John Eric Mendoza

MANILA, Philippines — Following “God’s sign,” internet personality and entrepreneur Rosemarie Tan Pamulaklakin officially backed out Thursday in the Manila City council member race.

Pamulaklakin went to the Commission on Elections’ (Comelec) law department in Palacio del Gobernador to officially file her certificate of withdrawal as a city council member aspirant in Manila City’s 1st District.

However, Comelec staff told her to lodge this document to their 1st District office in Manila.

Nevertheless, she faced the media here at Palacio del Gobernador before going to the Comelec office.

She cited her pregnancy as one of the reasons behind this decision.

“Humingi din kasi ako ng parang sign kay Lord,” she said in a chance interview. “Sabi ko nga, kung mabubuntis ako, hindi talaga ‘yan para sa akin ang pulitika.”

(I asked the Lord for a sign. As I said, once I get pregnant, it means that politics is not for me.)

“Eh nabuntis nga, so back out na lang talaga,” she added.

(Then, I became pregnant, so I just have to back out, really.)

She is expecting her third child, and is now three months pregnant.

Pamulaklakin filed her certificate of candidacy on Oct. 1, 2024, and said she first thought of backing out since November last year.

“By November siguro, yun yung time na nawalan na ako ng gana, sabi ko, hindi ko talaga gustong maging politician,” she said.

(By November perhaps, that was the time I lost interest, and then I said that I no longer want to be a politician.)

Pamulaklakin also ran but lost for a Manila council post during 2022 elections.