Pacquiao vows to focus on public service if elected senator

Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao (Photo from Pacquiao’s official Facebook page)

MANILA – Sarangani Representative Manny Pacquiao, who has also been a boxing icon, basketball coach and businessman, disclosed that he was willing to give up one of his careers to better serve the Filipino people should he be elected as senator in the May 2016 polls.

Pacquiao noted that he knew how the responsibilities of a nationally-elected senator were bigger than that of a congressman.

“Malaking responsibilidad. Kailangan mag-focus na sa trabaho kaya nga matagal ako nagdesisyon… Pinag-isipan natin ‘yan, kung ano ‘yung i-give-up ko sa mga pinagkakaabalahan ko to focus on serving the people,” he said in an Inquirer.net report.

(It’s a big responsibility. [I] need to focus on the work that’s why it took me a while to decide… We pondered on that, on what to give up among my activities to focus on serving the people.)

“Kung pag-uusapan natin law, mayroon pa bang law na hindi natin naipasa para makaaon ang mga mahihirap? Although ‘di ako nakikita sa Kongreso, palagi ako sa distrito ko. Marami akong nagawa. Nag-state of the district address ako. Nilatag ko accomplishment ko sa dalawang termino. Satisfied naman lahat. Masaya sila sa nakita nila,” he added.

(If we’ll talk about law, is there a law that we still haven’t passed for the poor to rise from poverty? Although I’m not seen in Congress, I’m always in my district. I’ve done a lot. I had a state of the district address. I reported what I accomplished in two terms. Everyone’s satisfied. They’re all happy.)

Aside from allotting more time for public service, the Sarangani Representative also vowed to include lowered income taxes and increased workers’ pay in his first bills.

“Iyan ang focus natin ‘pag tayo ay nalagay sa Senado, ang pagbaba ng income tax, individual income tax at tsaka pag-inrease ng salary ng government employees,” he said in a different report.

(That’s our focus if we get elected in the Senate, the lowering of income tax, individual tax and the increase in the salaries of government employees.)

Joining the senatorial race in next year’s national elections, Pacquiao has been offered a slot in former Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II’ Liberal Party (LP), Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) and Senator Grace Poe’s independent senatorial slates.