GENERAL SANTOS CITY ? For 28-year-old Filipino boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, the absence of infrastructure in this city for 20 years ? except that of his sprawling mansion ? had prompted him to seek a seat in Congress.
“Hindi naman ako tatakbo ng ganito kung may nakikita akong improvement dito,” he told Manila-based reporters late Thursday.
“Dalawampung taon wala namang nabago dito. Ang bago lang dito ay ang bahay ko. Umalis ako dito pero wala namang pinagbago.”
His statement was a direct attack on Rep. Darlene Antonino-Custodio and her family who ruled this area for the last two decades.
The lawmaker?s predecessors were her parents, who alternately served as members of the House of Representatives.
However, Custodio said her family was responsible for the putting up of the international airport, the expansion of the fish wharf and the tripling of the value of their tuna exports.
“That?s unfair to our family who did a lot of public service,” she said.
Custodio said her family also helped build General Santos City?s road network to nearby Sarangani province, which increased internal revenue collection of South Cotabato from P200 million to P800 million, and attracted migrants from other provinces.
“It?s very unfortunate that other people see and appreciate the beauty and progress of GenSan,” she said. “I don?t think other people will transfer here if they don?t see any progress here.”
But Pacquaio said while Custodio may have been allied with the opposition, this should not be an excuse for the underdevelopment of their hometown.
“In eight years time a lot has changed through my hard work,” he said in Filipino. “But I don?t have pork barrel.”
When told that Custodio is with the opposition, whose pork barrel funds are usually withheld, Pacquaio replied: “But she still has a budget.”
“A lot needs to be changed here in GenSan,” he said.
“The airport is so big but the terminal is too small. I want to make the hospital into a national hospital. Actually, those projects are already programmed but no one?s doing anything, they?re just playing deaf.” Around 15,000 constituents have attended a rally of pro-administration Team Unity senatorial candidates, which Pacquaio had organized at the plaza.
Almost all of the 12 candidates ? except Sen. Joker Arroyo, Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson and former presidential chief of staff Mike Defensor ? attended the dinner.
It was a reunion of sorts for the administration candidates, who, for the second time since last month, were re-united after their proclamation in Davao City in mid-March, according to re-electionist Sen. Edgardo Angara.
Most of the candidates were here for the occasion, among them Sultan of Sulu Jamalul Kiram, Bukidnon Rep. Juan Miguel Zubiri, Surigao del Sur Rep. Prospero Pichay, re-electionist Senators Angara and Ralph Recto, former Senators Tessie Oreta and Tito Sotto, Zambales Gov. Vic Magsaysay and actor Cesar Montano.
Those who were absent in Wednesday?s rallies in Cotabato City, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Shariff Aguak in Maguindanao, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat and Koronadal City in South Cotabato were Arroyo, Defensor and Singson, who recently survived a chopper crash.
