World-renowned boxing champion Manny Pacquiao will run for Philippine senate in the 2016 elections. His candidacy looms after his seat in congress was not received well. His announcement was not something that majority of people agree on.
"Yes, I'm going to run for (a) Senate post this coming 2016 election. But as to which party, that's still to be determined," Pacquiao said, according to Agence France-Presse.
Thirty-six-year-old "Pacman" added that President Benigno Aquino of the Liberal Party has been influencing him to run, but there are also candidates from other parties that are close to the boxer-politician.
Pacquiao bagged the position in congress through his popularity in his sports career and headed the province of Sarangani in Mindanao in 2010. During his term now as a congressman, he still undergoes strict training for his fights and has another responsibility of being a basketball coach for a Philippine team. Last May, he lost the "Fight of the Century" to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Daily Times reported.
However, he wasn't able to perform well as a congressman and received criticism for how he handled his several responsibilities. He is one of the legislators in the House of Representatives that incurred the highest number of absences. His previous post was due to the election of the people in the particular area, but the senatorial post is a national concern so this will be a bigger challenge for Pacquiao, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.
Social media users expressed their opinion towards Pacquiao's senatorial bid:
If Manny Pacquiao wins, hell be another Lito Lapid in the senate. Another excess baggage, and big waste of taxpayers' money.
— ☆Joe Natibker☆ (@natibk3r) October 6, 2015
Manny Pacquaio made a mockery of the HOR, now he will make a mockery of the senate. Enough! #NoToPacquiao2016 — WhatAWasteofAdMoney (@wawam) October 5, 2015
Manny Pacquiao is going to run for Senate. PH Gov is indeed a circus.
— ate pat (@patuseokhoseok) October 5, 2015
