In a bold move to reenter the political arena, former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao has officially filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) for the 2025 senatorial race. Determined to continue his fight against corruption, Pacquiao emphasized the role of corruption in the nation’s struggles, stating, “Ako ay naniniwala kaya nag-hirap at nag-dusa ang Sambayanang Pilipino — maraming walang trabaho, bagsak ang ekonomiya — dahil yan sa korupsyon.”
The boxing legend, now aiming for a senatorial seat, made it clear that the country’s future hinges on eradicating corruption. “Walang mangyayari sa bansa natin. Walang mangyayari sa kinabukasan natin kung hindi natin lalabanan ang korupsyon ng ating bansa,” Pacquiao declared with conviction.
Pacquiao is one of the senatorial candidates being backed by the administration for the 2025 elections. His political comeback follows his bid for the presidency in 2022, where he garnered approximately 4 million votes, finishing third in the race against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
When questioned about the controversial issue of the Marcos family’s alleged ill-gotten wealth, Pacquiao defended the era, saying, “Lagi nating sinisisi ang Pamilya Marcos pagdating sa korupsyon, hindi ba natin nakikita na sa panahon ng Marcos, ang bansa natin number 1 sa ekonomiya. May corrupt ba na bansa ba na number 1 sa ekonomiya?”
It’s worth noting that during his 2022 presidential campaign, Pacquiao vowed to strengthen the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG), an agency tasked with recovering the alleged ill-gotten wealth of former President Ferdinand Marcos and his family, should he have been elected president.
In a related development, another senatorial hopeful, Maria Fe Era, also formalized her candidacy for the 2025 elections, though she has yet to reveal the reasons behind her decision to run.
