Pacquiao airs support for Marcos admin programs

MANILA, Philippines — From being a staunch critic of the Marcos family in the 2022 elections, former senator Manny Pacquiao said on Monday that he would be fully supporting the programs of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr. 

Pacquiao, who competed against Marcos in the 2022 presidential elections, is among the 12 senatorial candidates Marcos recently endorsed for the 2025 elections.

Pacquiao said there is nothing wrong with supporting the administration’s programs. 

“All out support ako sa programa ng Pangulo. Wala namang masama sa programa ng Pangulo, para naman ito sa kinabukasan at kaunlaran ng bansa. Bakit di natin suportahan?” Pacquiao pointed out in an ambush interview when asked if he would be supporting the projects of the current administration. 

(I am extending my all-out support for the programs of the President. There is nothing wrong with his programs, it is for future and progress of the nation. Why shouldn’t we support it?)

“Ang problema lang talaga natin, nagagamit tayo ng mga ganid na pulitiko. ‘Yung mga magnanakaw na politiko dyan, bine-brainwash tayo para mag away away tayo,” Pacquiao added. 

(The problem is that greedy politicians are using us. The politicians who steal, they brainwash us so we can fight each other.)

When asked what changed when he decided to be a part of the administration’s senatorial slate despite previously vying against Marcos in the 2022 presidential derby,  Pacquiao said respect should be given to the duly elected president.

“Lahat naman may karapatan tumakbo so nagkataon lang na sabay-sabay kami tumakbo at siya ang pinili ng taumbayan. Respetuhin at suportahan natin yung binoto ng taumbayan,” he expressed.

(Everyone has the right to seek public office, and it just so happened that we all ran at the same time, and he was the one chosen by the people, we should respect that)

Meanwhile, in another interview, the senatorial aspirant and former world boxing champion was asked how he considered being part of the administration slate despite being Marcos’ critic back in the 2022 elections.

“Hindi naman po ako na-criticize nang todo sa ating Pangulo. Tinanong lang ako ng media noon na about sa corruption. Ang sabi ko, kung may ninakaw, dapat ibalik. Ang Constitution natin, ang gobyerno natin kailangan ng due process,” Pacquiao said. 

(I did not criticize the President that much. I was just asked by the media about corruption. I said that  if something was stolen, it should be returned.)

“Lagi natin sinisisi ang pamilya Marcos pagdating sa corruption. Hindi natin nakikita na sa panahon ng Marcos, ang bansa natin #1 sa ekonomiya. May corrupt bang bansa na #1 sa ekonomiya?” he stated.

(We always blame the Marcos family when it comes to corruption. We don’t see that during the Marcos regime, our country is number 1 in terms of economy. Is there a corrupt country if it is number 1 in economy?)

In contrast, then-presidential candidate Pacquiao in 2022 reminded the people of the Marcoses’ abuses following the declaration of Martial Law by then President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. in 1972.

He also made a remark to return the ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family.

Pacquiao also said that he wants to return to the Senate because he wants to fight corruption and support government advocacies.

“Tulungan natin ang magandang adbokasiya ng gobyerno, wag nating kalabanin,” he stated. 

(Let us support the advocacies of the government and not oppose them.)