Milka Romero (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

She may be the daughter of a billionaire, but Milka Romero--an aspiring congresswoman under 1-Pacman Party-list--is a sneakers kind of person. 

In an exclusive interview at the Manila Bulletin office on Thursday, Oct. 10, the Miro Group chief executive officer (CEO) showed up in simple jeans and her Adidas Stan Smith beaters. The shoes' green heel detail matched her green 1-Pacman Party-list shirt. 

In the world of clothing, Stan Smiths are the shoes of the every man--simple, efficient, timeless. No fuss and no frills. 

Milka says that's exactly the way she is. "That's a good metaphor." 

"Definitely [that's how I handle things]. It's old school, but at the same time, modern. So again, I look up to my parents for their advice....it's definitely giving respect to the people before us and working with the people we have at present," she candidly said. 

Milka's father is three-termer 1-Pacman Party-list Rep. Mikee Romero, while her mother is Shiela Bermudez Romero. The couple is well-lknown and respected in the realms of business and politics, but their 31-year-old daughter who is behind food and beverage company Miro is making a mark of her own. 

Milka Romero shows off her simple kicks. (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

Very exciting time 

Milka's run for party-list representation comes in the middle of a youth movement in the House of Representatives wherein millennials like her are given bigger shoes to fill and the platform to speak on national issues. 

This is evident with the rise of House "Young Guns" bloc in the current 19th Congress under House Speaker Martin Romualdez. Should 1-Pacman gain a House seat in the May 2025 elections, Milka, the group's first nominee, could very well be a similar trailblazer in the 20th Congress. 

Milka, a Management Economics graduate from Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), said she appreciated the government’s efforts to put this spotlight on the youth. 

"I think [the past] is something that we have to gove respect to, because our past defines also how we should move forward in the future. But in the present time, majority of our leaders are actually young millennials or even Gen Z, they have a voice," she said. 

"It's a very exciting time for us women and younger leaders in the Philippines," added the entrepreneur behind Sushi Nori. 

Sports development advocate 

Milka says her top three advocacies are Philippine sports development, protection of the rights of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and continuing the fight against the online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC). 

"I am an advocate of health, wellness, and sports. That's my main advocacy. 1-Pacman, of course we have heen seated with Cong Mikee Romero the past three terms and I would like to continue to expound on the different issues and apply my own as well," she said. 

Rep. Romero currently chairs the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation. He is also a former House deputy speaker. 

Asked what committee in the lower chamber that she would prefer to handle if given the chance, Milka--an athlete like her dad--answered with the thing that's closest to her heart. 

"Of course I'd really like to push on sports. My father who has been in different avenues, he started always with sports. And for me, I think I can contribute the most I this department and learn from there." 

Milka believes that sports have the power to uplift Filipinos from poverty. 

"It's a great equalizer. It's not just a recreational movement, but it is a way of life for many people, to get away from poverty, from drugs. It's definitely something I would like to adhere to as 1-Pacman representative," she said.