PACQUIAO: "FORGET POLITICS AND UNITE FOR FLAG AND COUNTRY"
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Fri, 13 May 2016
Outgoing Sarangani Congressman and soon-to-be senator Manny Pacquiao called on all the candidates who ran for the different positions in the recent local and national elections to forget politics and instead unite and support the would be victors in the collective efforts towards change and progress of the country.
"Our people have spoken by electing a new president, let us all unite and support him to attain the change that we have been long dreaming of towards improving our way of life," Pacquiao, owner of the hard-to-duplicate 10 world titles in eight divisions of boxing, said.
"Nanawagan ako sa lahat ng mga kandidatong naghangad ng iba't-ibang posisyon nitong katatapos na halalan at sa buong sambayanang Pilipino na kalimutan na natin ang di pagkakaunawaan dala ng mainit na kampanya at magkaisa tayong suportahan ang ating bagong Pangulong si Rodrigo Durerte para sa pagbabago ng ating bansa," the 37-year-old told Lyn Olavario of TV 5 in an interview.
"Sigurado na naman ang bilang niya at magiging presidente na siya. Kaya tinatawagan ko ang lahat ng mga pulitiko at ang mga kababayan natin na kalimutan na ang pulitika at isipin ang kapakanan ng bansa at nating mga Pilipino," he said. "For me, nothing can change kung hindi tayo magkakaisa."
"Tapos na ang pulitika. Lahat ng samaan ng loob ay kalimutan na. Tunay na sa nakaraang eleksyon, marami ang nagkasamaan ng loob. Huwag na sana tayong masyadong maapektuhan ng nangyari. Ang pagkakaibigan, iba sa pulitika," the General Santos-based ring legend urged.
"Siya (Dutere) na ang pinili ng bayan. Let's honor that choice. The choice of the people is the choice of God," the father of five stressed.
"Me, I'm happy at isa ako as napili ng ating kababayan na maging senador. Pakakaingatan ko at igagalang ang desisyong ito ng bayan. Pahahalagahan at susuklian ng malilinis at matapat na paglilingkod," Pacquiao said in a separate long distance telephone interview with this writer.
Pacquiao disclosed that like when he was a member of the Lower House, he will be focusing, as a senator, on citizen-building through sports, education and providing job to the poor.
"Gagawa tayo ng batas na makapagbibigay ng libreng edukasyon sa ating mga kabataan from elementary to college," he vowed. "Dito sa Mindanao, maraming pamilya ang di makapagpa-aral ng anak dahil sa kahirapan."
"Walang pambili man lamang ng pagkain sa kawalan ng trabaho. Kailangan nating pagtuunan ng pansin itong mga pangunahing problemang ito. At inihahanda na ng staff ko ang solusyon tungkol dito," he assured.
"Sport is where I came from so, pangunahing adbokasiya ko rin ito. Kailangan ang epektibong sports development program na magsisimula sa grassroots," he detailed. "Bihira yung nangyari sa akin na hindi nanggaling sa grassroots program."
"Muli ay nagpapasaslamat ako sa ating mga kababayan sa tiwalang ipinagkaloob nila sa akin at sa aking mga kapatid na nahalal din," he said referring to Bobby, a former boxer like him who was elected councilor in General Santos City, and youngest sibling Ruel, who took his place as Congressman of Sarangani.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Eddie Alinea.
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