FORMER Local Government secretary Manuel "Mar" Roxas II is now coming out of his brief retirement from politics by filing his certificate of candidacy (COC) for senator.

Roxas said Tuesday, October 16, that he decided to come out of retirement after seeing the need to continue helping the people, who have been struggling to make ends meet.

“The government is a force for good. Government is a force for change. Government is a force for betterment. That is my philosophy, which I will stand for. That is also the reason why I am joining politics again, so that I can help in this endeavor,” said Roxas.

He said it was difficult for him to come back to the political arena after he was able to move on from his successive defeats and starting his private, family life.

Roxas ran for vice president in 2010 and as president in 2016 but he lost in the elections.

“In that respect, that chapter of my life is already over. That is why it was difficult for me to decide to come back in this arena again,” he said.

Nevertheless, Roxas said he plans to push for specific programs that will be able to help poor Filipinos amid the high prices of commodities and services.

He said this is because “general, beauty contest” answers to the economic problems of the country will not suffice.

“My aim is to provide specific solutions, and not general and so-called beauty contest answers,” said Roxas.

His supporters in Negros Occidental, meanwhile, welcomed Roxas's decision.

Negros Occidental is a known bailiwick of Roxas, as his mother, Judy Araneta-Roxas, is from Bago City.

Former Negros Occidental governor Rafael Coscolluela, who was chair of Friends of Mar-Leni, said Roxas will probably be one of the most qualified candidates for senator because of his experiences in many departments, his education, trainings and exposures will be good for the Senate.

He said he will still support and campaign for Roxas.

"I will still support him and hope that he will win again in Negros. He is not a back slugger type who would always play politics. Certainly, he will be good for the Senate," he added.

Former Liberal Party provincial chairperson and former Manapla mayor Manuel Escalante Jr. said he will still campaign for Roxas in the province.

"I hope other mayors will campaign for him. After all, Mar has not done anything wrong for Negros," Escalante said. (HDT/With TDE of SunStar Bacolod/SunStar Philippines)