Someone, not exactly a fan of Manny Pacquiao, remarked recently how he has come to change his opinion of the boxing champ. In the light of the Pacman?s recent electoral victory as congressman from Sarangani, the new Pacquiao fan observed: ?He has gotten everything he?s wished for.? Or aspired for.
Growing up impoverished, helping his mother support his family by selling all sorts of merchandise in the public market of Gen. Santos City, Manny left home for Manila to train as a boxer, doing odd jobs just for the chance to learn the rudiments of the trade. When he began winning titles, he fell under the tutelage of Freddie Roach, who honed him into a boxer of skill and power, and to his present status, now contested by Floyd Mayweather Jr., as the world?s ?best pound-for-pound boxer.?
On the way, Pacquiao earned millions of dollars?computed as billions of pesos?that fueled various investments in GenSan and a lavish lifestyle that earned him not just a posse of friends and hangers-on, but even a reputation as a ladies? man. But he had other plans for himself, enrolling in a local college and then announcing he was going toe-to-toe with Rep. Darlene Antonino Custodio in the congressional elections of 2007. He lost that contest, perhaps on the mistaken notion that popularity alone would prevail against a formidable opponent and a solid machine. But the electoral defeat seemed but a speed bump on his way to his goal, because not only did he earn more titles in the aftermath, he also announced three years later a return to the congressional race, this time in the neighboring province of Sarangani.
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MOST political observers, apprised of the Pacman?s plans, said Pacquiao was in for a knock-out. Sarangani, they said, was controlled by the powerful Chiongbian clan, which not only has a lock on Sarangani politics but is also involved in shipping, real estate and agri-business. The Chiongbians chose Roy, an executive of a shipping firm who had no previous experience in politics, to succeed to the congressional seat held by his older brother Erwin. But Roy didn?t need any personal political credentials, it seemed. His late father James was a congressman who essentially created Sarangani through a law he authored, and mother Priscilla was a three-term governor. Before the Pacman surfaced, a Chiongbian had always represented the province in Congress. The Chiongbian?s network was deemed solid, and they had the wherewithal to match Pacquiao peso-for-peso.
Apparently learning from his disastrous campaign against Antonino in South Cotabato, Pacquiao relied not just on his popularity, the adulation of voters and his personal wealth to overcome his opponent. With enough time to build a solid political operation, a registered party to unite his various fans and supporters, and alliances with such influential patrons as presidential candidate Joseph ?Erap? Estrada and Sen. Manny Villar whose presidential candidacy Pacquiao endorsed, the slugger managed to wrest victory from his wealthy and influential opponents.
But the question remains: Now that he is a congressman, what will Pacquiao do with his mandate and the new respect he has gained?
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AN ARTICLE in Monday?s issue laid out the challenges confronting Pacquiao. Sarangani, even after decades of Chiongbian rule, remains one of the poorest provinces in the country. Over half of the population lives in poverty, the Agence France Presse report states, and the province doesn?t even have a single hospital to serve its population of 400,000.
Expectations are high for Pacquiao, who engineered his win by his free-spending ways, paying to build public structures like gyms, and providing churches and mosques with running water and electricity. He also paid for scholarships for students and funeral expenses for destitute constituents, while providing campaign funds for mayors and other officials. True, as a congressman, he will have millions in Countrywide Development Funds for infrastructure, scholarships, medicines and other needs. But even his seemingly inexhaustible wealth might prove inadequate given the many and varied needs of his neglected adopted province mates.
Now might be a good time for Pacquiao, who is even taking a crash course in public administration at the University of the Philippines, to consult and perhaps hire technocrats well versed in the art of managing development and tempering people?s expectations, and work with the elected local executives. With their help, he must draw up a rational, reasonable plan that would jump-start Sarangani?s march to development and map out a path toward sustainable, long-term growth.
But Pacquiao must also remember that he is a legislator, and that his stay in Congress is not limited to getting funds for Sarangani or making laws to create local institutions the people need. At the same time, he must participate in the national debate, most important, in the fulfillment of a national agenda for deep and lasting change.
Pacquiao could prove skeptics wrong by showing that popularity and personal wealth can be put to good use overcoming an entrenched political elite who did little to lift their province from poverty. The Pacman has much to prove not just for himself, but for the very idea of a non-politician challenging the status quo.
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A REUNION is being planned for September of Class 4E (girls) of UST High School Batch ?69 and another one next year to coincide with the 400th year celebrations of UST. Class members are asked to get in touch with Cecile Galang (Deato) at cgdeato@yahoo.com or cgdeato@gmail.com or at 0916-4142123 or 3992448 (landline); or with Peachy Evangelista Yamsuan at peachyyam@hotmail.com.
