By Fel V. Maragay

One of the presidential timbers, Senator Mar Roxas, remains mum on when he will tie the marital knot.

But Roxas, one of the prospective standard-bearers of the opposition, said yesterday he would announce his political plans within the year.

“That will surely come,” the grandson of post-Liberation President Manuel Roxas told newsmen at his residence in Cubao, Quezon City.

He said he wanted to make sure that he does things at the right time.

One of his aides said it is possible that Roxas may declare his intention to run for president on his 50th birthday on May l3.

He thinks he is well prepared for the presidency. “If I will be given a chance to serve our people, why not?”

Roxas has been reportedly told by his political advisers that having a wife will boost his presidential bid.

When asked whether he prefers to marry before the May 2010 elections or when he is already in Malacañang, he was tightlipped.

His possible wedding with his girlfriend of five years, broadcaster Korina Sanchez of ABS-CBN, is one of the hottest topics nowadays.

Roxas laughed off different forecasts made by seers on when the wedding bells will soon toll for him and Korina.

“At my age, many have made those predictions but all of them proved untrue. So they better stop it.”

Asked whether Korina is getting impatient about the matter, he shot back that the newsmen should direct the question at her.

Roxas also said he was not bothered that he is not faring very well in the presidential preference surveys about l7 months before the elections.

He recalled that he was outside of the magic l2 in the surveys for senatorial bets several months before the May 2004 elections. His rating picked up by February 2004 and eventually he topped the senatorial race.