Manny Pacquiao is raring to begin his new role as congressman of Sarangani province.
Even during confinement, Pacquiao was attending to personal matters relative to his being a politician within the confines of his plush hospital suite at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City.
?I can?t wait to begin my new job as a congressman,? said Pacquiao as a steady stream of visitors dropped by to wish the 31-year-old boxing star well.
Among those who paid a visit were actor Philip Salvador and actor-turned-politician Dennis Roldan and the boxer?s perennial flag-carrier, Cris Aquino.
Foremost in Pacquiao?s agenda is the construction of a hospital in the impoverished province, something that he termed as ?a basic need of the people.?
?Just imagine, if you get sick while in Sarangani, you are forced to travel to General Santos City or Davao to get complete medical care,? said Pacquiao, who hardly talked about boxing during the one-hour visit by this writer.
Apart from healthcare, Pacquiao, who did not finish high school, is also aiming to establish a college or a university in Sarangani.
Pacquiao was admitted early Sunday morning after complaining of severe stomach pain and doctors who examined him reported that it was a recurrence of his acid reflux ailment.
?During the campaign period, I was not able to eat the right food at the right time,? said Pacquiao, who is expected to be discharged Tuesday.
Attending to Pacquiao?s needs while in confinement is his wife Jinkee and kids, including daughter Princess, who is obviously Pacquiao?s little bundle of joy.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao is flying to the US on June 1 not only for a much-needed vacation but to receive his third Fighter of the Year trophy from the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA).
The BWAA affair will be held on June 4 at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York and the following day, he will be at ringside when one-time victim Miguel Cotto battles Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium.
