MANNY Pacquiao is set on proving he’s more than just a king in the boxing ring.
The 36-year-old Philippine boxing hero announced his plans to run for the Philippine Senate on Monday, October 5.
“Yes, I’m going to run for a Senate post this coming 2016 election,” said the fighter, who was elected congressman in 2010, representing the Sarangani province in Mindanao. “But as to which party, that’s still to be determined.”
The 8-division world boxing pro announced his bid for Senate during his State of the District Address to constituents at the provincial gym in Alabel, capital of Sarangani, the Philippine Star reported.
“In the coming days, I will be embracing new levels of responsibility. I will be confronting tough challenges,” said Pacquiao. “My second term as your congressmen will soon be over, but I will continue to be of service to you and to our fellow Filipinos.”
Pacquiao is in the “Magic 12” of recent senatorial preference surveys, according to Rappler. The latest Pulse Asia survey on next year’s elections determines who is being re-elected in leadership and returning to office. Pacquiao is one of four first-time senatorial contenders.
According to the preference survey, 12 senators will be finishing their terms in 2016, to fill the “Magic 12.”
Pacquiao got 39.6 percent of the vote, and ranked 7th-11th, showing generally positive ratings.
He is reportedly under pressure from political advisors and allies to break free from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) of Vice President Jejomar Binay, whom he has been publicly loyal to. He was present when the UNA proclaimed Binay as its presidential candidate.
Pacquiao is head of the People’s Champ Movement, a local political party that aligned with Manny Villar’s Nacionalista Party during the elections in 2010. He is a political rival of the Antoninos, who ruled General Santos City for 26 years, Rappler reported.
Pacquiao ran and lost to Darlene Antonino-Custodio for the 1st District of South Cotabato, covering several towns in South Cotabato and General Santos City.
In 2010, he moved to Sarangani, where he ran and won for the lone congressional seat, and ran again unopposed three years later.
After winning eight world championships in different weight divisions, Pacquiao lost the most expensive fight in boxing history (with a record 4.4 million pay-per-view buys) by unanimous decision to his American rival, Floyd Mayweather Jr., in the May 2nd “Fight of the Century.”
Controversy arose when Pacquiao later reported a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder, for which he underwent surgery. He is not expected to be able to fight until next year.
Pacquiao has been harshly criticized for his performance, or lack thereof, in the House of Representatives, said Agence France-Presse. The congressman has been listed among the legislators with the most absences from meetings and events.
On social media, the reaction to Pacquiao’s bid was largely negative.
“Pacman, you’re my idol. But in the boxing ring. Not in Congress. Sorry,” one fan posted on Twitter.
“You can’t even go to sessions in Congress. Now you want to go to Senate? What are you going to do there?” said another Twitter user.
“PH government is indeed a circus,” one tweet read.
Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee is not seeing re-election as vice governor of Sarangani, but his brother Rogelio (Roel) Pacquiao is slated run for the congressional seat that Manny will vacate next year.
His promoter, Bob Arum, said in September that he expects the boxer to get back in the ring once more before he retires to focus on his political career.
“I believe he’ll take one more fight, then run for the Senate in the Philippines,” Arum told the Los Angeles Times. “He could fight twice more, I guess, but it sets up better for him to fight, then run.”
that’s right. boxing, should stay within boxing.
Too many are going for politics, when there isn’t a clear experience with true ‘issues’ of government/legislation in their backgrounds. I’m sure we all admire someone with ‘heart’ and good intentions, but what do we do, when ‘for decades’ many run (both male & female) and clearly do not demonstrate having seasoned experience with polity & public policy for the country. Something to think about. On the flipside, having a Pacquiao doll in one’s possession makes for a collectors item that comes with a story, that we can share with our grandkids by the time we are 79 years old. yes?