After May 9, 2016, a new politician has successfully sprinkled Philippine politics that generated international attention to various mass media. This time, a transgender candidate becomes the first in the country to be elected in a congressional seat in the Philippines and probably the first in Southeast Asia. She is the first openly transgender woman who will be a part of the law-making bodies of the Philippines, working with other lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
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| Honorable Geraldine Roman, 1st District of Bataan |
Geraldine Roman is now declared as the new Representative of the 1st District of Bataan after the recent 2016 Philippine national elections. She will start working as a representative from her district on June 30, 2016, which is after taking oath to be recognized as an official lawmaker. She is bannered by the Liberal Party of the Philippines that is supported under the current political administration of the country, headed by the outgoing president Benigno Aquino II.
Roman made history for breaking the myth and misconceptions that a transgender will never be a successful political figure in the Philippines. The country is one of the most conservative countries in the world for strongly practicing traditional values and religious principles in any aspect. She is delighted to banner the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) community for accomplishing a significant milestone in the face of Philippine politics.
Geraldine is now hoping to be an ambassadress by representing the LGBT community in the House of Representatives in the Philippines. As an advocate of LGBT, her vision, mission, and inspiring role will give chance for the conservative political community of the country to showcase her wit and professionalism through creation of new laws.
For Geraldine, gender is not the basis for a person to succeed and lead a certain community because it is how the person works hard using perseverance, humility, intellect, and empathy to become an inspiration to the society.
She will be serving for a district in Bataan, which is a province situated in the island of Luzon. Battan is a peninsula that is bordered by Zambales province and Pampanga to the north, Manila Bay to the east and southeast, and South China Sea to the west and southwest of the province.
Geraldine Roman will be replacing her mother, Herminia Roman, which is the outgoing congresswoman in the first district of Bataan. Herminia Roman is the mother of Geraldine Roman. She is from a heavyweight family in Bataan with several family members who served local political positions across Bataan.
Due to her family's strong political background, she is seen to be continuing her family's legacy as another generation of Roman clan to serve their local community. Roman defeated Mayor Danilo Malana of Hermosa town that was also running for the same position.
During early life, Geraldine Roman is the second child of Antoninon Roman and Herminia Roman. She was before teased and bullied by her classmates and playmates during her childhood. When her father discovered the incident, he taught Geraldine to boost confidence and stand up against bullies at school and along the streets.
With her father's guidance and inspiration, Geraldine accomplished at least two master's degrees. Her degree earned her an opportunity to work in Spain that was hired as a Spanish News Agency's senior editor. She currently speaks several languages such as Spanish, French, and German aside from speaking fluent English. She returned back to her home country in 2012 when she was informed about her ailing father.
As for personal life, Geraldine undergone gender reassignment surgery in 1994. She was officially regarded as female since that time. She had her gender and name both legally changed after the gender reassignment surgery.
While living and working in Spain, Roman met her love interest and then eventually married her. Spain is one of the pioneers of same-sex marriage, giving respect with the dignity and liberty among LGBT community.
