Chantel Rodriguez

Staff writer

Cvr5570@psu.edu

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao faces his most formidable opponent, Rodrigo Duterte. However, this fight will occur outside of the ring and will be for president of the Philippines in May 2022. 

Pacquiao, at age 42, has mastered his fighting skills with 12 world champion titles and winning 62 fights out of 72 in his career. Mr. Pacquiao hopes to put a win for this presidential race under his belt. “I am a fighter, and I will always be a fighter—inside and outside the ring,” he advised his constituents. 

“We are ready to rise to the challenge of leadership,” Mr. Pacquiao exclaimed while accepting his nomination bid. “It is now time for the oppressed to win,” he said. “It is now time for the country to rise up from poverty.” 

Mr. Pacquiao cut ties earlier in the year from his once-known ally President Rodrigo Duterte and his party. He accused them of corruption within the government’s health department and mismanaging the coronavirus pandemic, which impacted the purchasing of protective equipment such as face masks in the Philippines. Pacquiao hasn’t been afraid to call the government officials out and make it known he wants a change for his country. 

“To government officials who continue to rob government coffers, you will soon find others in jail,” Mr. Pacquiao cautioned while announcing his candidacy. “Your time is up.” 

Pacquiao will run as a member of the PDP-Laban party after accepting its nomination at the national convention, but not all members agree with this bid. That same party is where some pro-Duterte allies want Pacquiao to step aside and not continue his proposal.

Melvin Matibag, leader of the pro-Duterte party, said Mr. Pacquiao was not acting out the party’s promises by addressing his candidacy. Matibag, on public radio, expressed his distaste for Pacquiao’s candidacy and said, “it was not sanctioned nor called by the party’s chairman, President Duterte.”

Final filings for the presidential race will take place in October of 2021.